Issues and Challenges of Bhutanese Mathematics Curriculum: A View from the Exploratory Study

Authors

Keywords:

Bhutanese mathematics education, Bhutanese mathematics curriculum, Bhutanese mathematics teachers, exploratory study, thematic analysis

Abstract

Bhutanese mathematics curriculum witnessed several rounds of revision in its attempt to improve its quality of mathematics education. A growing body of research, however, reports that the Bhutanese mathematics curriculum is largely plagued by several issues and challenges. Therefore, this exploratory study was carried out to document the issues and challenges of the Bhutanese mathematics curriculum. Twelve (N=12) Bhutanese mathematics teachers took part in the study based on the inclusion criteria of purposive sampling design. The mathematics teachers took part in one-to-one interviews. The data collected through one-to-one interviews were analysed based on Braun and Clarke's approach (2006) to thematic analysis. Findings showed that the Bhutanese mathematics curriculum from fourth to 12th-grade is largely vast, fragmented and compartmentalised, developmentally not age-appropriate. Moreover, findings also inferred that the Bhutanese mathematics curriculum from fourth to 12th-grade is considerably laborious or taxing in nature; and prescriptive in design. The urgent need to address the issues and challenges of mathematics curriculum, especially from the point of being vast and voluminous, fragmented, developmentally inappropriate; or prescriptive in the design is also discussed.

Published

2021-03-23

How to Cite

Dorji, K. (2021). Issues and Challenges of Bhutanese Mathematics Curriculum: A View from the Exploratory Study. Turkish Journal of Mathematics Education, 1(1), 1–9. Retrieved from https://tujme.org/index.php/tujme/article/view/1

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Articles