Math Program Paying Dividends for Peruvian Students
(3BL Media / theCSRfeed) October 12, 2011 — Learning mathematics can be challenging for even the best students. And as society becomes ever more technology dependent, math competence is increasingly important.
In developing regions, many teachers don't have access to up-to-date materials and teaching methods. Weak or nonexistent skills mean that students may not be prepared for the job market, continuing a cycle of poverty.
In 2004, Barrick began working with Peru’s Apoyo Institute. The non-profit Institute's goal is to improve teaching methods applied to economics, mathematics and business management in the country. Their program, called Mathematics for Everyone (MFE), encourages students to learn math through playful, interactive methods. Since its initial commitment seven years ago, Barrick has become one of the program's most important sponsors.
The results to date have been gratifying. Barrick and the Institute have taken the program to 251 schools in the provinces of Ancash and La Libertad, where the company's Pierina and Lagunas Norte mines are based. According to evaluations by Peru's Ministry of Education, in 2007 and 2009, these two regions saw a progressive increase in the number of students whose performance improved: 18 per cent in Ancash and 50 per cent in La Libertad during the two-year period. They also performed about 10 per cent above the national average on standardized tests.
Read more at BarrickBeyondBorders.com
About Barrick
Barrick Gold Corporation is a Toronto-based gold mining company and industry leader, with a portfolio of 26 operating mines, and projects on five continents. Barrick trades on the Toronto and New York Stock Exchanges and employs 25,000 people worldwide. In 2010, Barrick’s global economic contribution to the local, regional and national economies of its host countries totaled approximately $9.7 billion. The company has been ranked as a world leader in social and environmental responsibility for the fourth consecutive year by the Dow Jones Sustainability Index. Barrick is also listed on the NASDAQ Global Sustainability Index of the top 100 companies.
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