Accra, June 1, GNA - Professor Sitsofe Anku, a lecturer at the Ashesi University in Accra, on Wednesday called for the adoption of a more practical method of teaching mathematics to make the subject easier and for students to appreciate it.

Prof. Anku who, is also the founder of the MEAGASA Education and Centre for Excellence in Mathematics Education (MECME), said abstract teaching of mathematics must give way to the use of practical methodologies for maximum impact.

Prof. Anku who was giving a talk on "Using Mathematics for National Education and Development," attributed the current poor state of mathematics education to the use of wrong methodologies and archaic syllabus that were not geared towards self-development. He noted that most teachers demonstrated their knowledge in mathematics, instead of using their knowledge to provide the opportunity for students to understand the subject.

"The teaching of mathematics should be as realistic as possible, using everyday occurrences to solve unknown problems and this can make it easier for students to appreciate and understand mathematics." He said the study of mathematics was important in all aspects of national development, as whatever had to be done needed some form of mathematical calculations to attain the required results.

He said if students were made to study mathematics as a subject for national development instead of studying it for examinations, they would learn to appreciate nature and the environment as a whole.

Ms Eva Lokko, Director-General, Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, called on government to make good use of its rich human resources, by taping into the rich knowledge of persons with experience and knowledge such as Prof. Anku. She said though the Ghana Education Service (GES) had been trying hard to encourage students to take interest in mathematics and the sciences, there was still much to be done.

She noted that a great number of Ghana's human resource was allowed to go waste, as many brilliant ideas and visions were never encouraged or supported for national development. Ms Lokko urged all students to take mathematics seriously, not for the sake of examinations, but as a disciplinary subject for their own future development.

A website, www.mathNed.org was launched to create a chat room for all members of the Mathematical Association of Ghana (MAG). The website would ensure better communication among all members and enable them to share difficult mathematical problems to attain solutions.