In wake of calls to have the Interactive Radio Instructive [IRI] programme, which has for a number of years been utilised in the primary level schools to improve performance in Mathematics, a decision has been made for it to be reviewed.
This is according to Chief Education Officer, Mr Marcel Hutson. According to Hutson, the IRI programme will be reviewed with a view of realising greater impact at the lower grades.
The issues with the IRI programme were amplified following a Commission of Inquiry [COI] into the Education System.
According to Chairman of the COI, Mr. Ed Caesar, “some people are saying too many concepts are used, some people think things are happening too quickly before the children can respond and the answer is given by the narrator and so on.” In fact he disclosed that some schools have said “let us abandon the IRI programme and go back to regular teaching of mathematics.”
Caesar added too that some schools have even linked poor performances at the National Grade Six level to the IRI programme. “We don’t know but we are asking the Ministry to look at it. It is very important that that be done,” said Caesar. The Ministry has heeded the recommendation of the COI and the programme is set to be reviewed, Hutson said at the recent NGSA announcement ceremony.