Mathematics week to kick off on 26 March

The Ministry of Education and Youth (MOEY) will stage National Mathematics Week 2023 between 26 and 31 March, under the theme ‘Reigniting the Maths Flame: Light up our World’. According to a news release, national mathematics coordinator, Dr Tamika Benjamin, said the MOEY is encouraging parents, teachers, students, principals and the wider Jamaica to give full support to the week. “We have to get on board as part of the drive to change the mindset… towards the subject,” she said.

The week of activities commences on Sunday 26 March with a church service at Clifton New Testament Church of God. The official launch of National Mathematics Week 2023, along with the staging of the Mathematics Teacher of the Year Award Ceremony, will take place at the University of the West Indies (UWI) Mona Campus’ Assembly Hall, on Monday 27 March.

Jamaica National has partnered with the MOEY to recognise the recipients of this year’s awards.

From Tuesday 28 March to Thursday 30 March all seven education regions will host activities geared towards improving the mathematics culture and building the profile of the subject in Jamaica. These will include quizzes, poster and display competitions and pageants focused on mathematics.

Activities will be mounted, islandwide, in the seven regions as follows: region one at Mico University College, Kingston on 28 March; region two at Port Antonio High, Portland on 30 March, starting at 9:00 a.m.; region three at Port Rhodes Sport Club in Discovery Bay, St Ann on 28 March, starting at 9:00 a.m.; region four at Sandy Bay Primary, Hanover; region five at Munro College, St Elizabeth on Wednesday 29 March at 8:30 a.m.; region six, Cedar Grove Academy, St Catherine on 30 March at 9:00 a.m.; and region seven, at Prospect Primary and Frankfield Primary in Clarendon on Thursday 30 March starting at 9:00 a.m. The Ministry will host a virtual National Mathematics Parent session on Thursday 29 March from 5:30 to 6:45 p.m. The week’s activities will culminate on Friday 31 March with the launch of a National STEM-Novation Village at UWI from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The village will provide teachers, students and other stakeholders with the opportunity to see mathematics at work in a range of STEM-related career fields and explore the application of mathematics to everyday life.

Regional mathematics coordinator for region six, Camae Johnson Burrell advised that Mathematics Week activities are not just about engaging students. “We also want to engage our teachers, parents and all other stakeholders,” she said.

This is the eighth staging of National Mathematics Week since it was first introduced in 2013.