The maths skills of Primary students at Mildura, Mildura West and Ranfurly Primary Schools will be strengthened with the help of having three specialists each who will be working with their teachers next year.
Member for Northern Victoria Region, Candy Broad said she was pleased to announce Mildura, Mildura West and Ranfurly Primary Schools were selected out of 27 government schools across the state to participate in the new $5 million Brumby Labor Government program.
“These specialists will work intensively with teachers at each of these schools to improve students’ results,” Ms Broad said.
“This is great news for these Primary Schools and even better news for students who will benefit enormously from improved maths instruction.
“Victoria already has fantastic Primary teachers in our Government schools, but this initiative will strengthen their skills in providing students with the 21st century skills they need for 21st century jobs.”
Ms Broad said the 81 maths specialist working across Victoria will take up their positions in term one next year.
In these Schools, one specialist will work with P-2 teachers, one with 3-4 teachers and one with 5-6 teachers. They will also spend time as classroom teachers.
The specialists will be selected in coming weeks, for a 10-day training program this year, followed by a five-day program in Term 1 next year.
Education Minister, Bronwyn Pike said the initiative is part of the Brumby Labor Government’s commitment to giving every child the best start to life, regardless of where they live or their personal circumstances.
“Our recent NAPLAN results show Victorian year 3 students are the best in the nation in numeracy, with more than 95 per cent of students performing at or above the national minimum standard, but there is always room to improve and that is what this initiative is about,” Ms Pike said.
The $5 million initiative is part of the $8 million directed towards literacy and numeracy reforms in the 2009-10 State Budget under the Targeted Investment to Achieve National Partnership Objectives.
It builds on recent funding initiatives announced by the Brumby Labor Government in its Energising Science and Mathematics Education strategy, which dedicated a further $90 million to science and maths education, including $46 million to fund 200 specialist maths and science teaching and learning coaches.