Adding $2 Million to Maths Education. (October 13, 2009)

The Federal Minister for Education, Julia Gillard, today announced funding of $2 million to help improve mathematics education in Australian schools and universities. The minister's media release states: "The Australian Government is funding the Improving Mathematics Education in Schools Project which is run by the Australian Mathematical Sciences Institute (AMSI) in collaboration with business, industry and teacher professional associations. The project supports the teaching of mathematics in targeted low socio-economic schools and raises the awareness of maths-related career opportunities. The project will... develop innovative school mathematics resources to support the implementation of the new national mathematics curriculum being delivered by the Rudd Government."

To help address shortages of specialist mathematics and science teachers, the federal government has allocated $625.8 million to increase the number of people studying these disciplines. Mathematics graduates who go on to work in related occupations, including teaching of these subjects in secondary and primary schools, "will be eligible for a reduction of their compulsory HELP debt repayments by around half on average for up to five years".

Jan Thomas, Executive Officer Australian Mathematical Sciences Institute, told TFW that: "We believe [mathematics] is vital to participation in a modern technological world. We are therefore delighted with the support Minister Gillard announced today. It will enable us to build on our successful projects in schools and to expand them in new directions and into new schools. We are especially pleased with the help for promoting career options in mathematics and statistics. Australia needs many more graduates in the mathematical sciences if we are to meet the needs of business, industry and especially teaching."

Janine McIntosh, Schools Project Officer for AMSI said: "The project gives us the opportunity to continue and expand upon our work in the important  areas of careers, schools and mathematics teaching."