Renewed focus on numeracy as assessment curriculum gets revamped

There is a renewed focus on foundational learning with targeted projects in literacy, numeracy and teaching methods to improve student outcomes at the primary level.

With pupils undertaking the National Grade Six Assessment on Wednesday and Thursday, Education Minister Sonia Parag told reporters that additional initiatives to improve results are underway for 2027. These areas are critical to building a strong academic foundation for students.

The ministry will roll out the numeracy assessments in 2027, a new initiative designed to sharpen students’ comprehension and reading abilities from an early stage, particularly in Grades Two and Four.

“It is to, of course, strengthen our mathematics, our sciences and numeracy will help with that greatly.

“By the time you’re in Grade Four the curriculum is completed or is supposed to be completed so that in Grades Five and Six you are doing a revision of those curriculums,” she said.

According to the minister, the literacy unit is actively working to develop a robust curriculum that supports these assessments, ensuring that students acquire the necessary skills as they progress through the system.

This structured approach is intended to better prepare pupils for key examinations while reinforcing their understanding of core subjects.

“We want our students to be fully literate and strengthened in numeracy as they exit the primary level,” the minister said.

Minister Parag also said that improvements in mathematics and science are closely tied to these foundational skills.

She said the ministry has also invested heavily in resources to support learning, including the distribution of textbooks and past examination papers. These interventions are already contributing to improved preparedness among students.

She emphasised, however, that long-term success depends on early intervention.

“If you don’t prepare students from the foundation level, you will have cracks,” she said.

This initiative will support the Literacy Assessments which were adopted in preparation for the 2025 sitting of the exam to achieve sustained improvement at the secondary level.