Guwahati, Dec 22: When we think of Assam, we think of its famous export of tea, its scenic beauty and the beautiful and humble people who live here. However, few people, including myself, have not been aware of this till some time ago. The recently concluded National Achievement Survey showcases that Assam's arithmetic literacy rate is higher than the national average.
The state's average performance accounts for 44%, whereas the national average accounts for 42%.
However, Assam has the potential to be the most arithmetic-literate state in the country. Through this writeup, I wish to share my thoughts on how Assam can achieve the same.
I believe that a strong arithmetic literacy state can be the first step towards its development. Arithmetic literacy helps students pursue different skill-based careers in the future.
Math is at the core of every learning experience; it not only helps one score well in exams but also helps one dwell on real-life problems. Math doesn't only improve academic performance; it also improves decision-making capabilities, mental ability development, and cognitive abilities.
Math is often taught in schools as a subject that will only help them solve certain examination questions and never explain the real-life applications of the concept. Schools should move toward practical-based learning, especially for subjects like math.
For example, if students are saying, "Big questions scare me! Should I multiply, add or divide?" It means the student knows basic arithmetic applications but when word problems come into the picture, they are unable to understand. Here, the questions should be made relatable. The word problem of buying 150 watermelons is not something a child can relate to, because it never happens in real-life.
Students should understand why they are learning certain topics; for example, if we are teaching them geometry, let's first teach them how geometry is an integral part of the metaverse. I'm mentioning the metaverse here because it is relevant, as it is a well-talked-about topic these days, and the youth are aware of this. It is essential to generate the urge to know the reasoning behind each mathematical concept, and that can be achieved through practical learning.
Math should be taken beyond the textbook and should also be introduced to students as a sport. Speed math is one such example - where minds compete with numbers. At a very young age, math was introduced to me as a sport, not a tool to pass examinations. Hence, I started having fun with numbers rather than developing a fear of them.
Government schools should be given the desired attention by all stakeholders. These are the schools that enrol students from varied backgrounds. Hence, arithmetic literacy is important in these schools to uplift students from all walks of life. The numeracy of all strata of society is necessary to build a strong arithmetic literate state.
Communicating with parents and teachers to determine the best course of action can be a critical step toward developing arithmetic literacy in the state. A quarterly survey of teachers and parents from government and private schools can help the stakeholders have a better understanding of what needs to be delivered to students and how.
Assam is already doing well when it comes to arithmetic literacy; it can even be the most arithmetic-literate state in the country with some precise measures. With the help of the government and the different stakeholders of education, the state can be at the helm of it. Strategic steps must be taken to raise awareness of arithmetic literacy among students and parents. Students should be well aware of why they are learning the subject and how learning math can help them opt for their desired career.
This National Math Day, let's take a pledge to make Assam no. 1 in Arithmetic Literacy!
About the author
Known as the World's Fastest Human Calculator, Hyderabad's Neelakantha Bhanu Prakash is the Founder and CEO of Bhanzu, an Indian math ed-tech platform aiming to revolutionize the learning experience of math globally.
By 17, he broke the world record of math legends like Shakuntala Devi. Bhanu was unstoppable and took a leap further to fructify his exceptional capabilities, beyond the realm of global recognition he received.
He was the first Indian and Asian to win the gold medal in Mental Calculation World Championship 2020 at Mind Sports Olympics, London and was celebrated by the President of India, Vice President of India and a lot of other global personalities.
