Urgent need to improve maths skills

ALMOST 40 per cent of maths high school teachers are unqualified to teach the subject.

ALMOST 40 per cent of maths high school teachers are unqualified to teach the subject, sparking a call for a national program to boost their skills.

As governments pursue initiatives to boost the maths skills of teaching students, the Australian Mathematical Sciences Institute is seeking immediate action to address the shortfall of qualified maths teachers, especially in regional areas.

"All these initiatives in boosting teacher training are very good and very welcome, but it might take 10-15 years and that is too late," AMSI director Geoff Prince told The Australian.

Dr Prince is calling on governments to create a national system where online maths course material, backed by in-school development, could be offered to the thousands of teachers being forced to teach outside their fields.