AN EASIER maths subject will be introduced in years 11 and 12
under the national curriculum, raising fears of an exodus from
the more difficult maths courses. The Mathematical Association
of NSW said there is concern the new subject - Essential
Mathematics - will attract many able students turned off the
less interesting and more difficult courses. In a submission
last year the association said Essential Maths was suited to
students who learned maths at a slower rate and had not fully
mastered the national curriculum to year 10. It said some of its
members believed Essential Mathematics should not contribute to
the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank, as more ''able''
students may be attracted to it for ''easy reward'' rather than
attempting more challenging courses of more value in later
studies. Victoria has also warned that a ''clear risk'' of the
new subject is a shift in enrolments from more demanding maths
subjects. ''This would run counter to current policy settings in
Victoria, and indeed nationally, w