Peak bodies demand action on maths education

“Bodies representing top science and engineering academics have called for “urgent action” to reverse the decline of secondary and tertiary students studying mathematics. The Australian Council of Deans of Science, the Australian Council of Engineering Deans, the Australasian Council of Environmental Deans and Directors, and the Australasian Council of Information and Communications Technology have banded together to lobby the federal government to encourage more secondary and tertiary students to study maths. Action would include igniting interest in maths in early years, restoring maths as a prerequisite for particular university degrees and encouraging future high school teachers to specialise in maths. The share of Year 12 students studying advanced mathematics dropped below 10 per cent in 2019, and has remained low, at 8.4 per cent in 2023. The group has called for a focus on Year 11 and Year 12 maths enrolments through initiatives that address ‘maths anxiety’ and gender gaps, and clearly link maths study to career pathways. Factors contributing to the decline in students studying maths. Source: ACDS . There should be affordable sub-bachelor programs, such as diplomas and associate degrees, to ensure students without intermediate mathematics can access STEM degrees, they said. To incentivise teenagers to continue maths study through senior high school, intermediate-level maths should be a requirement to enter university courses in science and engineering fields. More on this story: Uni boosts gender diversity by 30% in maths | Sydney uni cuts maths prerequisites for some degrees | “We absolutely need you”: Biologist to girls interested in STEM A joint statement from the bodies said pre-service teachers also need to know that maths study is a pathway. “Compounding these challenges is the fact that 40 per cent of mathematics teachers in Australia are ‘out-of-field,’ teaching without formal mathematics qualifications – arguably the most critical issue, given teaching outcomes compound across all latter stages of education,” it said. “While some states have introduced upskilling programs, their scale is too small to address the national problem.” Engineers Australia chief engineer Katherine Richards has said the decline in students undertaking advanced maths at school is already impacting on the nation’s future skilled workforce needs. “In 2023, only about eight per cent of Year 12 students studied advanced mathematics, raising serious concerns about the long-term supply of engineering graduates needed to support infrastructure delivery, technological innovation and national productivity,” Ms Richards said. “At the same time, Australia’s overall maths participation and performance has remained largely stagnant, and regional and remote students are behind when compared with their city peers. “This has dire consequences for the nation with engineering underpinning around 60 per cent of our nation’s GDP.”

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