Curriculum relevance and its appropriateness to develop higher order thinking skills
have been a subject of discussion in Ethiopia for many years. Various studies have
been conducted to identify and propose reform ideas to the general education
quality and efficiency problems. The main and most comp...
Curriculum relevance and its appropriateness to develop higher order thinking skills
have been a subject of discussion in Ethiopia for many years. Various studies have
been conducted to identify and propose reform ideas to the general education
quality and efficiency problems. The main and most comprehensive ones are
the Education Roadmap study and the Cambridge Education study. These studies
indicated that the general education curriculum is staffed with many subjects; some
textbooks are overloaded with factual content; school contents are not adequately
related with students’ lives; and indigenous knowledge and real world problems
are not integrated in the school curriculum. The studies also showed that the
curriculum does not integrate ICT and has gaps to meet the needs of children with
special educational needs. In addition, the studies demonstrated that curriculum
materials do not thoroughly cultivate 21st Century skills and competencies such as
lifelong learning, critical thinking, problem solving, creative and innovative thinking,
communication and cooperative skills, leadership and decision making skills,
technological skills, cultural identity and international citizenship. Consequently,
these studies recommended the need to reform the curriculum.
Based on the recommendations, extended discussions and consultative meetings
were conducted at national and regional levels with relevant stakeholders, teachers,
parents, and educational leaders. Following these consultations, a new national
curriculum framework, content flow chart, learning competencies, and syllabus
have been prepared national level. Based on such documents, student textbooks
and teacher guides of different subjects are prepared. The mathematics textbooks
intend to engage students in the formulation and construction of mathematics
knowledge and skill based on their day to day experiences and previous knowledge.
Learners are expected to actively take part in drawing their prior knowledge and
experience in the learning process.
How to Use the Book
The book is prepared to enable student learn in active and participatory manner using
their prior learning and experiences from the immediate environment. Students
and teachers carry out activities and solve problems using their experiences and
knowledge. In this process, students not only learn mathematical concepts and
ideas but also develop the necessary learning to learn skills. Such practice also helps
students to deeply understand the contents. To this end, teachers are expected to
teach using the proposed learning and teaching strategies and learning processes. It
is essential that students and teachers appreciate the processes involved in learning
the contents and not merely focus on memorization of concepts and mathematical
procedures. Hence, teachers are expected to employ the proposed techniques
and implement all activities as they are designed by considering the objectives and
contents of the textbook. In addition, teacher