If the latter is true, it is indeed that the students learned Mathematics is basically just to pass the examination. It is this phenomenon that concerns us.
Mathematics curriculum in developing countries.
Mathematics curriculum in developing countries is often based on studies as well as the experience of the developed world. Quite often the syllabi of the former are often adopted from the latter. In fact, some scholars believed that there exists extraordinary similarity in Mathematics curriculum across the globe. For instance, Hawson & Wilson (1986) claim that a "Canonical School Mathematics Curriculum was developed in Western Europe in the aftermath of the Industrial Revolution, and was adopted practically everywhere during the present century."".
In retrospect, in most developing world today, the mathematics education system was deeply imbedded in the cultural and colonial heritage of the past. For example in Malaysia, Singapore and Hong Kong, they adopted the British System, the Philippines adopted the American system while Vietnam and Cambodia adopted the French system and so on (Nebres, 1995).
However, most countries today had revised and developed their own curriculum, albeit some of the contents are still the replica of the Western curriculum. The only variation is often reflected by the difference in socio-cultural landscape.
Learning mathematics: The teachers' and students' perspectives.
In active learning situation, the three components of teacher, process and students should be present. As far as teacher is concerned, he or she should conduct a lesson that is considered as "good lesson-. A good lesson is conceived as the one which keeps in balance the four aspects of achievement; namely; affect, function, knowledge and behaviour. These four aspects according to Osamu (2000), relate to the following conditions of good lesson:.
Children motivation to learning is prompted and maintained.