Enriching Students ’ Learning Through Ethnomathematics in Kuruti Elementary Schools in Papua New Guinea

Education system in Papua New Guinea has undergone iterations of national reform in the past few years. The varied reform has been driven by presumed national priorities with the need for universal education for all. High among the current educational reform is the introduction of the counting and calculating systems in different languages at elementary level. This paper examines the ‘Kuruti ’ cognitive patterns used in weaving and the ‘Kuruti ’ counting and calculating system and their relations to modern mathematics. It attempts to look at teaching mathematics through cultural relevance to help learners know more about reality, culture, society and themselves. It is anticipated that teaching mathematics through cultural relevance will enable learners to become more critical and appreciative, and more confident in learning mathematics. It will help them build new perspectives and syntheses, and seek new alternatives. It is further anticipated that learning mathematics through cultural relevance will enable learners to transform some existing structures and relations to comprehend their understanding of mathematics