To help empower St. Lucian secondary school students to perform better at mathematics, Sir Arthur Lewis Community College has returned as a partner for the second installment of Math Camp St. Lucia: Together we can even the odds.
In collaboration with the Good News Project, the Ministry of Education, and the Alumni Association for Tertiary Educational Institutions on the Morne (AATEIM), the College aims to assist students in overcoming the hurdles that prevent them from excelling at CSEC Mathematics.
It is a camp where students can nurture their problem-solving skills; where positivity and belief in our students will motivate them to achieve and move to higher heights,
said Dr. Delia Samuel, main coordinator of Math Camp St. Lucia and PRO of the AATEIM, during the press launch of Math Camp 2024.
Samuel, a mathematics professor herself, explained that the camp will take place from July 8 to 12 and from July 17 to 19, at two prime locations. The northern session will be hosted at the SALCC Morne Campus, while the southern session will be held at the Vieux Fort Comprehensive Secondary School. A total of 200 Form 4 students are expected to attend the camp.
In the age where technological advancement is rapidly changing our world, the importance of Mathematics cannot be overstated,
said Dr. Winston Phulgence, Vice President of Academics of SALCC. While the world is in the grips of the data revolution, our students regionally are performing at the lowest levels ever in mathematics.
According to CXC statistics, from 2017-2023, over 50% of St. Lucian students sitting CSEC Mathematics failed each year. Regionally, the results are similar. Math Camp St. Lucia seeks to break this disturbing trend by engaging both students and teachers. Another key component of the camp includes the training of 100 secondary school math teachers so that they are better equipped to instruct their students.
I chose the Math Camp experience and I don’t regret it,
said Mr. Rohan Bennett, one of the math teachers who attended the inaugural Math Camp St. Lucia in 2023. He highlighted the value he gained from the training and is looking forward to Math Camp St. Lucia 2024.
The camp’s curriculum is set to include a variety of activities designed to make math engaging and relevant. For students, the sessions aim to promote teamwork and creative problem-solving. For teachers, the training will be led by experts in math education, focusing on innovative teaching strategies and the integration of technology in the classroom.
