Year 12 students and higher mathematics: emerging issues

The study of mathematics, particularly higher mathematics, is important if Australia is to develop a scientifically literate workforce. Participation in mathematics study at higher levels is declining, and this paper begins to consider some of the reasons for this. A study that looked at the percentage of year 12 students studying mathematics from 1995 to 2004 found that while the overall percentage of students enrolling in Year 12 mathematics remained high (about 80 per cent), the percentage figures for advanced mathematics have declined, and there was a steady increase in the percentage of students enrolling in elementary mathematics. At the university level, the 2003 OECD Education report showed that only 0.4 per cent of Australian university students graduated with qualifications in mathematics or statistics, compared with an OECD average of 1 per cent