New math curriculum won't change, ministry says

Saskatchewan's ministry of education says its math curriculum, which has been the subject of heated debate for its new approach to learning, is in line with what is taught in jurisdictions across North America and will continue.

The announcement on Friday afternoon added that some work will be done to help parents understand the new math curriculum, before it is introduced in more school divisions.

The ministry said officials will also work on ways to improve teacher training in new math.

While no details were provided, the ministry said in a news release that "[c]hanges have already been made to the structure within the ministry of education to better align with goals for improved student achievement across Saskatchewan."

A series of news reports last year pointed out concerns that the math curriculum was moving away from basic things like multiplication tables, to focus more on broader concepts.

Critics felt that students were not gaining a strong foothold in basic math, because of the new approach.

The government said the concerns, and a petition from a group calledthe Western Initiative for Strengthening Education in Math,led to an assignment for MLAs Russ Marchuk and Gene Makowsky to hosteight consultation meetings with teachers and school administrators.

"Feedback was generally positive regarding the curriculum but with caveats that additional instructional supports may be required for teachers and parents," Donna Harpauer said in a news release issued Friday.