The testing agency, which released the high school math results on Wednesday, believes that inability to meet provincial standards during the earlier part of schooling makes a student more prone to face difficulties in future as well.

According to reports by the Education Quality and Accountability Office, 49 per cent of students who failed to meet provincial standards for math in their 3rd and 6th grades could not meet the same in their 9th grade as well. On the other hand, 70 per cent of those did not continue the course in applied math.

The statistical report promises to cause great concerns regarding the future of these students. Recent EQAO results shows that 3rd and 6th grade students were losing the hold of the subject for five years. There is a decrease in the number of 3rd and 6th grade students who successfully met provincial standards in the subject in 2013-13.

The EQAO data reveals that 57 per cent 6th grade students were able to meet the standards in 2012-13, whereas it was 63 per cent in 2008-09. Third grade students show similar decline as 70 per cent of them met the standards in 2008-09, while it is only 67 per cent in 2013.

Bruce Rodrigues said that there was no mystery about the students who had failed to meet provincial standards for math in secondary schools as they had had difficulties in the subject since their elementary years. Even though the education system is beneficial for many students, many others continue to struggle every year, he said. Mr Rodrigues is the CEO of EQAO.

It has been a trend in the entire country that students have been performing poorly in math. There are 6 provinces in particular which deteriorated over the years in the subject: British Columbia, Newfoundland and Labrador, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Alberta, according to the 2009 report of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

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