British school outsources math to India

In a reversal story of large scale influx of Indian students to study here, a local school facing shortages of brains has outsourced mathematics teaching to India.

Media reports quoted BBC as saying a north London school, Ashmount Primary, has outsourced mathematics teaching to India and pupils in this institution were improving.

Shortage of mathematics teachers here in British schools has presented an opportunity to Indians to teach the subject.

Many of them have even immigrated to Britain to teach mathematics.

Bright Spark Education Company (BSEC), was providing the online mathematics classes by teachers thousands of miles away in India.

” Lessons are booked 24 hours in advance; and at a stipulated students log on and converse with their tutors over the internet,” the media report said on Monday.

The lessons, designed for children, aged between 6-16, and cost 12 Pounds an hour and parents sign up for blocks of two or five hours.

Students appear to be excited about the project, BBC quoted several 10-year-olds saying this.

Adam, a student, said: “It’s fun because it’s on the computer and not doing it on your books.

” Another student Rosa added: “It’s fun because you’re talking to someone from somewhere else.”

BSEC has employed around 100 maths graduates for the purpose, who are paid 7 Pounds an hour.

One of them remarked, “I can’t see the student, but I can talk. I can chat with them so it’s a different way of teaching and as effective as a classroom ? even more effective, so that’s what I like about it.”

The teachers in Britain were not amused at the idea..” I am concerned about the precedent this is setting,” said National Union of Teachers’ general secretary Chris Keates. “What next? Do we do without maths teachers?” she asked.