The minister announced the province has identified three areas in which it intends to take action to ensure students receive a high-quality math education:
- strengthening the math curriculum by ensuring the appropriate balance is struck between skill development, conceptual understanding and problem-solving abilities.;
- ensuring that high-school math courses have the learning expectations and outcomes necessary to prepare students for success in university and college programs, and the world of work; and
- working in partnership with the faculties of education to ensure that teacher candidates are prepared with the knowledge and skills necessary to provide solid instruction in mathematics in schools.
The province recently announced additional funding of $800,000 for the Early Numeracy Initiative to support school divisions with design and implementation of numeracy programming and teacher professional development to improve students' math skills in kindergarten to Grade 8.
Other initiatives Manitoba is undertaking to improve student achievement in both the short and long term include:
- providing a new, plain-language report card;
- implementing a new assessment policy to ensure more rigorous standards in schools; and
- reducing class sizes to 20 students in kindergarten to Grade 3.
