P ac ice Pape
Recommended ci a ion: Gabko á, J., Gužela, Š., & Halaj, M. (2025). Why Has
Ma hema ics Become a Nigh ma e a Technical Uni e si ies?. In Kangaslampi, R.,
Langie, G., Jä inen, H.-M., & Nagy, B. (Eds.), SEFI 53 d Annual Con e ence.
Eu opean Socie y o Enginee ing Educa ion (SEFI), Tampe e, Finland. DOI:
10.5281/zenodo.17631335.
This Con e ence Pape is b ough o you o open access by he 53 d Annual Con e ence
o he Eu opean Socie y o Enginee ing Educa ion (SEFI) a Tampe e Uni e si y in
Tampe e, Finland. This wo k is licensed unde a C ea i e Commons
A ibu ion-NonComme cial-Sha e Alike 4.0 In e na ional License.
WHY HAS MATHEMATICS BECOME A NIGHTMARE AT TECHNICAL
UNIVERSITIES?
Jana Gabko á a,
1
, Š e an Gužela b, Ma in Halaj c
a Slo ak Uni e si y o Technology, B a isla a, Slo akia, 0009-0006-4947-3564
b Slo ak Uni e si y o Technology, B a isla a, Slo akia, 0000-0003-0975-2498
c Slo ak Uni e si y o Technology, B a isla a, Slo akia, 0000-0002-7432-7423
Con e ence Key A eas: Teaching ma hema ics and physics in enginee ing
educa ion
Keywo ds: ma hema ics eaching, echnical uni e si ies, s uden s d op-ou
ABSTRACT
In his pape , we would like o highligh he disc epancies be ween he en y
equi emen s o applican s o s udy a a echnical uni e si y and he equi emen s
o comple ing ma hema ics cou ses in he i s yea o bachelo 's s udies. In
seconda y schools (especially seconda y oca ional schools), he ime alloca ion o
eaching ma hema ics is e y limi ed, and only a small p opo ion o s uden s
g adua e om ma hema ics. The composi ion o s uden s applying o echnical
uni e si ies has changed, wi h g adua es o seconda y oca ional schools cu en ly
p e ailing. On he o he hand, ma hema ics s ill ep esen s he heo e ical basis o
mos enginee ing cou ses a he bachelo 's and enginee ing le els o s udy, so he
acul y's enginee ing depa men s equi e a ce ain le el o knowledge in
ma hema ics om s uden s mo ing on o highe yea s.
This con adic ion is mani es ed in he la ge numbe o s uden s who ha e p oblems
wi h success ully comple ing basic ma hema ics cou ses a he bachelo 's le el o
s udy, which complica es hei u he s udies and, in some cases, e en leads o
d opping ou o s udies. Using he example o he Facul y o Mechanical Enginee ing
o he Slo ak Uni e si y o Technology, we p esen an o e iew o measu es o
o e come his con adic ion. These include he in oduc ion o a ious suppo ing
eaching ac i i ies, he wide use o ac i a ing eaching me hods, he modi ica ion o
s udy plans and cou se in o ma ion shee s, and he like. The ex shows ha despi e
he a ious ac i i ies o he acul y, which ha e se e al posi i e e ec s, he p oblem
o s uden s' p e equisi es o success ully comple ing ma hema ics cou ses emains
un esol ed and equi e sys ema ic in e en ion by he s a e.
1
Co esponding Au ho
Jana Gabko á
jana.gabko a@s uba.sk
1 INTRODUCTION
The issue o eaching ma hema ics a echnical uni e si ies has al eady ecei ed a
lo o a en ion. This is unde s andable, as ma hema ics is one o he basic pilla s o
mas e ing enginee ing cou ses. Knowledge o ma hema ical p ocedu es, p inciples,
me hods, and ma hema ical hinking a e equi ed a all le els o highe educa ion.
Howe e , he e is an inc easing disc epancy be ween he eadiness o seconda y
schools g adua es o mas e he equi emen s o uni e si y ma hema ics a echnical
uni e si ies, he expec a ions and demands o hese schools, he s uden 's abili ies o
mas e he s udy equi emen s, as well as he p ocedu es and app oaches o help
s uden s o e come he pi alls o uni e si y ma hema ics. We a e alking he e mainly
abou bachelo 's deg ee s uden s, whe e his disc epancy is mos p onounced and
esul s in a e y undesi able phenomenon - d op-ou o bachelo 's s uden s. Using
he example o he Facul y o Mechanical Enginee ing o he Slo ak Uni e si y o
Technology (FME STU) in B a isla a, we a e ying o poin ou he ac ha e en
hough he acul y akes a ious ypes o measu es o inc ease he pass a e o
s uden s h ough ma hema ical cou ses in bachelo 's s udies, he acul y's in e nal
capabili ies a e limi ed and canno ully compensa e o he need o measu es om
he s a e, no can hey espond lexibly enough o changing ex e nal in luences on
he knowledge and abili ies o applican s o s udy a echnical uni e si ies.
2 APPLICANTS FOR STUDIES AT TECHNICAL UNIVERSITIES
Cu en ly, one in i e Slo ak uni e si y s uden s s udies ab oad. Since 2017, he
numbe o Slo ak s uden s s udying ab oad has emained oughly a he same le el
o a ound 32,000 s uden s. S udying ab oad is a popula phenomenon, which is
ho oughly in es iga ed by espec i e s a e au ho i ies, as he numbe o s uden s
s udying ab oad has an undesi ed impac on he Slo ak academic sys em.
App oxima ely 70 pe cen o Slo ak s uden s who go ab oad, s udy in he Czech
Republic (Sk a enina, 2023).
I is mainly highly mo i a ed s uden s wi h abo e-a e age socio-economic
backg ounds who go ab oad o s udy. In o he wo ds, s uden s wi h abo e-a e age
seconda y school esul s o en go ab oad, which necessa ily has an impac on he
o e all le el o s udy p e equisi es o bachelo 's deg ee s uden s who emain o
s udy in Slo akia (Ma inak, Va sik, 2021).
App oxima ely hal o Slo ak seconda y school g adua es who decide o s udy a
Slo ak uni e si ies p e e o s udy social sciences. As can be seen om he da a
om he uni e si ies‘ admissions p ocess o he academic yea 2023/2024, only
abou 11.5% o all admi ed applican s in end o s udy a a uni e si y o echnical
sciences (see Table 1). O hese, he as majo i y aim a s udying compu e
science.
Table 1 illus a es he numbe o applican s and hen s uden s who come o he STU
and i s FME. Table 2 shows he composi ion o s uden s who s a ed s udying a he
FME STU in he academic yea 2023/2024, acco ding o he ype o seconda y
school hey came om. In ha academic yea , 37.2% o seconda y g amma school
g adua es and 61.8% o seconda y oca ional school g adua es s a ed s udying.
Howe e , he same able also shows he e y un a ou able ac ha 40.2% o
seconda y g amma school g adua es and up o 62.5% o seconda y oca ional
school g adua es le he acul y a e he i s yea . In bo h cases, his is an ala ming
numbe , which, howe e , has been app oxima ely epea ed o almos he en i e las
decade, as is he a io o d opou s acco ding o he ype o seconda y school hey
s udied a . The main eason o d opping ou is he ailu e o mas e ma hema ics in
he cou ses o he i s yea o he bachelo 's deg ee. In he las ou academic yea s,
STU Academic In o ma ion Sys em indica es ha he numbe o s uden s ailing in
ma hema ics exams always exceeded he numbe o s uden s who le he FME in
he i s academic yea . This ac con i ms ha passing ma hema ics is one o he
majo conce ns in success ul comple ing he i s academic yea a he FME STU.
Table 1 Applican s and s uden s a he FME STU o 2023/2024 (An aliko a, 2024)
Plan
Applican s
Accep ed
En ollmen
En olled/Admi ed
STU in B a isla a
4680
4193
3207
2476
0.77
FME STU
530
331
257
211
0.82
Table 2 Success a e o s udies a he FME STU in he academic yea 2023/2024
Seconda y
g amma
school
Seconda y
oca ional
school
Ano he
ype o
school
To al
Numbe o s udies ini ia ed
82
136
2
220
D opped ou a e he 1s semes e
12
57
2
71
D opped ou a e he 2nd semes e
21
28
-
49
D opped ou a e i s yea / %
40.2
62.5
100
54.5
Le 's ake a close look a he issue o insu icien knowledge o ma hema ics among
applican s o echnical uni e si ies, which is e lec ed in he high d opou a e o
s uden s in he i s yea o bachelo 's s udies. We will demons a e his issue using
he si ua ion wi h s uden s a he FME STU.
3 KNOWLEDGE OF MATHEMATICS AMONG UNIVERSITY APPLICANTS
A su ey by he Slo ak Ma hema ical Socie y among he echnical uni e si ies
ep esen a i es was conduc ed in Slo akia in 2019 on he ma hema ical knowledge
and skills equi emen s o uni e si y applican s (Bede ka e al., 2019). In summa y,
hey a e equi ed o:
1. know he essence o ma hema ical knowledge - unde s anding is mos impo an ,
2. use he language o ma hema ics o exp ess ma hema ical ideas,
3. mas e he capabili ies o sol ing asks and ma hema ical p oblems,
4. know he applica ion o speci ic ma hema ical cou ses ou side o ma hema ics,
5. be able o jus i y he u h o s a emen s using speci ic examples,
6. ha e he belie ha ma hema ics is a uni e sal ac i i y necessa y o he
de elopmen o socie y.
The con en o he seconda y school Ma u a (see ollowing ex ) is in line wi h hese
equi emen s, so one can assume ha a e success ully comple ing he high school
Ma u a, he s uden will ha e no p oblem comple ing ma hema ics a uni e si y.
3.1 Ma u a in ma hema ics
Ma u a is a La in name o he seconda y school g adua ing exam in a ious
Eu opean coun ies, Slo akia included. O cou se, success ul passing o Ma u a in
ma hema ics is no he only c i e ion by which a s uden 's p e equisi es o
success ully comple ing ma hema ics a a echnical uni e si y can be cha ac e ized.
Howe e , i p o ides a e y clea insigh in o how popula ma hema ics is among
seconda y school g adua es and how many o hem da e o ake an exam in i ,
ce i ying hei acqui ed knowledge.
S uden o a seconda y g amma school ( ha p epa es o he u he uni e si y
s udy) akes Ma u a in ma hema ics as an op ional exam (s uden selec s
ma hema ics om a g oup o scien i ic subjec s) o as a olun a y exam
(ma hema ics exceeds a manda o y numbe o ou Ma u a subjec s). S uden o he
seconda y oca ional school ( ha p epa es o di ec employmen a he labou
ma ke ) can ake he Ma u a in ma hema ics as a olun a y exam only (Cipko a
Hamplo a e al., 2024).
The Minis e o Educa ion announced in 2025 ha he minis y wan s o ex end a
compulso y Ma u a in ma hema ics o all seconda y g amma schools and seconda y
oca ional schools wi h a echnical ocus. Since o he measu es a e also linked o
he compulso y Ma u a in ma hema ics, he expec ed ime ame o he in oduc ion
o a compulso y Ma u a in ma hema ics is app oxima ely 10 yea s (Minis y o
Educa ion, Resea ch, De elopmen and You h o he Slo ak Republic, 2025).
In 2024, a o al o 40,950 s uden s g adua ed, o which 36.8% we e om seconda y
g amma schools, 57.8% om seconda y oca ional schools, and he es om o he
ypes o schools (Na ional Ins i u e o Ce i ied Educa ional Measu emen s, 2025).
The Ma u a in ma hema ics was aken by 4,779 s uden s, which is only 11.7% o all
seconda y school g adua es. O hese s uden s, 74.2% we e om seconda y
g amma schools, and 24.8% om seconda y oca ional schools.
An analysis o he 2024 Ma u a in ma hema ics esul s e ealed ha , a a s ong
signi icance le el, he ollowing holds ue:
a. seconda y g amma school s uden s achie ed be e esul s han seconda y
oca ional school s uden s,
b. s uden s g adua ing wi h ma hema ics as an op ional exam achie ed be e esul s
han s uden s aking Ma u a in ma hema ics olun a ily.
Fo compa ison, in 2009, a o al o 9,250 s uden s ook he Ma u a in ma hema ics,
which is app oxima ely 15.2% o all 60,732 seconda y school g adua es. A he same
ime, s uden s om seconda y g amma schools achie ed be e esul s han
s uden s om o he seconda y schools a he medium le el o signi icance.
I we summa ize he in o ma ion om 2009 and 2024 (which is a ime span o 15
yea s), only hal o he s uden s cu en ly g adua e in ma hema ics as hey did i een
yea s ago (in absolu e numbe s), while a he same ime, he di e ence in esul s
be ween s uden s om seconda y g amma schools and seconda y oca ional
schools has inc eased signi ican ly compa ed o i een yea s ago.
3.2 Time alloca ion o eaching ma hema ics in seconda y school
The s a e cu iculum o seconda y g amma schools p esc ibes ha 12 hou o
ma hema ics be augh (pe week) h oughou he en i e s udy pe iod. Mo eo e ,
s uden s can add addi ional ma hema ics hou s in he hi d and ou h yea s wi hin
he a ailable hou s, and a ma hema ics semina in he inal yea . This means ha
he e is a space o p epa e s uden s o he Ma u a in ma hema ics.
In seconda y oca ional schools, he e a e only 6 hou s o ma hema ics and
compu e science pe week o a o al o 4 yea s, addi ional hou s can be added om
he 28 a ailable hou s. Howe e , hese a e p ima ily used o o he cou ses, no o
eaching ma hema ics. The e is no space he e o p epa a ion o he olun a y
Ma u a in ma hema ics. Mo eo e , he school does no ecei e any inancial
esou ces o in oduce, o example, an op ional cou se o p epa ing o
ma hema ics. And he e comes he p oblem. The s uden applies o uni e si y, bu
he con en and scope o ma hema ics eaching, especially a seconda y oca ional
schools, do no co espond o he p epa a ion o uni e si y, no can i , because he
s udy is supposed o be p epa a ion o p ac ice. Howe e , his s uden is accep ed
o uni e si y because he/she success ully passed he Ma u a. Technical uni e si ies
usually do no conduc en ance exams, and hen he e is a p oblem o all pa ies.
4 TEACHING MATHEMATICS AT THE FME STU
A he FME STU, in o al 12 cou ses ela ed o ma hema ics a e augh a he
bachelo 's le el. In o al, he e a e 27 hou s pe week o he en i e s udy pe iod in
he case o compulso y and compulso y elec i e cou ses and 14 hou s pe week o
elec i e cou ses. They ha e di e en ime alloca ions, and a di e en numbe o
c edi s a e ob ained o comple e hem. In any case, he bigges p oblem o
bachelo 's s uden s a he FME STU is comple ing wo basic cou ses in he i s yea
- Ma hema ics I (win e semes e ) and Ma hema ics II (summe semes e ). In e ms
o con en , hese wo cou ses a e ela ed o each o he .
The cou se Ma hema ics I in he win e semes e is a manda o y cou se o all i s -
yea s uden s o he bachelo 's deg ee. The cu iculum co e ed is di ec ly ela ed o
he a eas o Ma u a in ma hema ics. The syllabus o he cou se Ma hema ics I
he e o e assumes a ce ain le el o en y knowledge, on which he s uden s build
and based on which new cu iculum is co e ed. The success o comple ing he
cou se Ma hema ics I is he e o e di ec ly co ela ed wi h he le el o knowledge ha
s uden s b ing om hei p e ious s udies a seconda y school.
The compulso y cou se Ma hema ics II is augh in he nex semes e , and i ollows
Ma hema ics I. Since he opics co e ed a e no based on he ini ial knowledge om
seconda y schools, he de e mining ac o o success ully mas e ing his cou se is
he success ul comple ion o he p e ious cou se Ma hema ics I.
As he s udy esul s s a is ics show, s uden s do no ha e any majo p oblems wi h
comple ing o he ma hema ics cou ses. The e o e, all e o s ela ed o inc easing he
s uden s' p og ess o he nex yea a e la gely ocused on success ully comple ing
Ma hema ics I and Ma hema ics II.
As an example, ake a success ul passing he cou se Ma hema ics I in he i s
semes e o bachelo 's s udies in he academic yea 2024/2025. O he 314 s uden s
who s a ed s udying he i s yea o bachelo 's s udies, only 158 s uden s (50.3%)
me he equi emen s o aking he exam in Ma hema ics I a he end o he
semes e , 139 s uden s (44.3%) did no mee hose equi emen s, and 17 s uden s
d opped ou du ing he semes e (5.4%). O he 158 s uden s who me he
equi emen s o aking he exam, 81 s uden s (51.2%) success ully passed he
exam, 32 s uden s (20.3%) ailed on h ee exam da es, 30 s uden s (19%) did no
use all he e ake da es, and 15 s uden s (9.5%) a e allowed on an addi ional e ake
da e. The e o e, only 25.8% o he s uden s who s a ed hei s udies a he
beginning o he semes e passed he Ma hema ics I on he egula exam da e!
5 SUCCESSFUL MASTERY OF MATHEMATICS
5.1 In luences on success ul mas e y o ma hema ics
Le us summa ize he e he indi idual in luences ha a ec he abili y o seconda y
school g adua es no only o success ully comple e hei s udies in ma hema ics a
he bachelo 's le el o s udy a echnical uni e si ies bu also o choose such s udies:
a. Seconda y school g adua es wi h he bes s udy p ospec s o en go ab oad.
b. Low in e es in s udying echnical subjec s a uni e si ies p e en s a ho ough
examina ion o en y knowledge and he so ing ou o applican s wi h insu icien
s udy p e equisi es. The as majo i y o echnical acul ies do no hold en ance
exams and accep all applican s o s udy.
c. G adua es o seconda y oca ional schools, whe e he numbe o hou s alloca ed
o eaching ma hema ics is e y low, mos ly apply o echnical uni e si ies. The e a e
ewe g adua es o seconda y g amma schools han in he pas .
d. A low pe cen age o seconda y school g adua es comple e he ma hema ics
exam, and he e is a la ge di e ence in he esul s achie ed be ween g adua es o
seconda y g amma schools and seconda y oca ional schools.
e. Dis ance lea ning du ing he COVID-19 pandemic has a speci ic impac , wi h his
impac con inuously being el by s uden s en e ing highe educa ion ins i u ions.
Among o he es ic ions, he Ma u a was also cancelled a his ime.
Added o hese a e he objec i ely exis ing gene al in luences on s uden s b ough
abou by changing imes. The ollowing poin s a e obse ed a he FME STU by
uni e si y eache s a mos o he s udy cou ses, and ully apply o ma hema ic
cou ses. These obse a ions a e egula ly discussed a he acul y and uni e si y
o a and also widely con i med in pe sonal exchange wi h eache s om he o he
echnical uni e si ies in Slo akia. These a e hen also e lec ed in hei poo e abili y
o mas e ma hema ics:
a. A ailable echnical means – cu en ly, s uden s ha e he ini ial impulse o sea ch
o all in o ma ion and solu ions on he In e ne o o use a i icial in elligence o sol e
p oblems. Fo example, he aboli ion o inal heses is being conside ed. S uden s'
i s impulse is no an e o o hink bu an e o o use exis ing solu ions wi h he
leas e o , he so-called "looking a he In e ne "
b. Reduced numbe o di ec eaching hou s pe week – in he pas , he acul y had
app oxima ely 30 hou s o di ec eaching pe week; now i is app oxima ely 20 hou s
o di ec eaching hou s pe week. The emphasis is shi ing om di ec eaching o
indi ec eaching, which, wi h e iden p oblems o some s uden s wi h lea ning,
u he exace ba es he p oblems o a la ge g oup o s uden s no ul illing he
equi emen s o eache s.
c. S uden s don' know how. o lea n. A e mo ing om seconda y school o
uni e si y, hey ha e p oblems wi h o ganizing hei s udies, adhe ing o a egula
schedule o indi ec eaching, di e en demands a uni e si y, a highe pace o
knowledge acquisi ion, and an emphasis on independen s udy.
d. Reduced abili y o s uden s o independen ly sol e p oblems, ead wi h
comp ehension, and o mula e gene al asks using ma hema ical means. This is
mani es ed mainly in ollow-up enginee ing cou ses ha equi e s uden s o sol e
hei p oblems and o malize gene al asks in o a ma hema ically sol able o m
e. Reduced abili y o s uden s o syn hesize knowledge om mul iple lea ning a eas
and ans e i wi hin o ou side ma hema ics. This is also ela ed o he low abili y o
use p e iously lea ned ma e ial in he la e s ages o he semes e .
Howe e , he p oblem is o en also on he uni e si y's side:
a. Insu icien ly lexible adap a ion o he changing composi ion o incoming s uden s,
he le el o hei ini ial knowledge, s udy p e equisi es, and abili ies.
b. Ambiguous de ini ion o he con en o ma hema ics s udies a he bachelo 's le el.
Almos all bachelo 's le el s uden s con inue o enginee s udies, so in highe
g ades, a di e en composi ion o mas e ed ma hema ics knowledge is equi ed han
when s uden s comple e hei s udies a e he bachelo 's le el.
5.2 Wha can and does he acul y do?
The low passing a e in ma hema ics in he i s yea o s udy egula ly and equen ly
appea s a mee ings o a ious acul y bodies. The acul y managemen has been
paying due a en ion o his p oblem o a long ime and is ying o de ine measu es
o manage he un a ou able si ua ion. Regula consul a ions a e held wi h
ma hema ics eache s as well as wi h s uden s, while app op ia e o ms o suppo
o s uden s a e cons an ly sough . The p inciple o main aining he es ablished le el
o s uden s' knowledge and no lowe ing quali a i e equi emen s is cons an ly
emphasized, and suppo mechanisms a e being sough o help s uden s.
In he academic yea 2023/2024, he ollowing measu es came in o e ec :
a. In pa allel wi h he cou ses Ma hema ics I and II, he elec i e cou ses
Supplemen a y Exe cises in Ma hema ics I and II a e augh . The aim is o
supplemen any de iciencies om seconda y school, deepen he unde s anding o
he subjec ma e co e ed, and p epa e o he ma hema ics exam.
b. In Sep embe , be o e s a ing s udies, he acul y o e s a week-long cou se in
seconda y school ma hema ics, i e hou s a day. S uden s pay o hei pa icipa ion
hemsel es (50 eu os pe week). The cou se was gene ally well ecei ed, bu he
p oblem is ha in se e al cases s uden s who supposedly did no need i
pa icipa ed, bu he e we e ewe s uden s who needed such a cou se.
c. In addi ion o he elec i e cou ses, in o mal u o ing is o ganized, which many
s uden s ha e s a ed o a end. This u o ing is led by a uni e si y ma hema ics
eache and is no included in he o icial s udy plans.
d. In ma hema ics eaching, ac i a ing eaching me hods a e widely in oduced
(especially EduSc um, p oblem-based lea ning). These me hods a e also add essed
in se e al g an p ojec s a he acul y, while acul y s a a e also success ully
in ol ed in in e na ional esea ch eams in his a ea.
Fu u e measu es include:
a. In oduc ion/s eng hening o an in oduc o y semina be o e he s a o s udies.
b. In he new s udy p og am s uc u e being p epa ed, he ma hema ics cu iculum
will be di ided in o mo e semes e s han now, wi h he i s semes e in ended o
consolida e s uden s' ini ial knowledge o ma hema ics and he s a o eaching new
ma hema ics opics will be pos poned o he second semes e .
c. G ading o s uden s acco ding o he ma hema ics en ance es will be in oduced,
and s uden s wi h weake esul s will be equi ed o ha e some addi ional
ma hema ics ins uc ion.
d. The con en o he cou se augh is upda ed o mo e e ec i ely mee he changing
equi emen s o enginee ing cou ses in la e yea s o s udy.
e. The widesp ead applica ion o mode n eaching me hods will also be suppo ed.
. Consul a ions wi h seconda y school ma hema ics eache s a e planned o be e
connec he equi emen s o uni e si ies wi h he possibili ies o seconda y schools.
5.3 Has he e been any imp o emen ye ?
The measu es in oduced a e jus beginning o ake e ec and ha e no ye
signi ican ly changed he si ua ion. Signs o imp o emen can be seen a he in he
mo e posi i e a i ude o s uden s and an inc ease in hei posi i e mo i a ion:
a. Imp o ed g ades o s uden s who success ully passed he ma h exam,
b. S uden s a end addi ional ma h exe cises o a g ea e ex en , bu hey also a end
mo e consul a ions and in o mal ma h educa ion. Wha is impo an is ha hey ha e
ealized ha hey need o sol e examples o acqui e speci ic skills.
c. S uden s' independen wo k on ma hema ics exe cises has imp o ed.
d. Ac i a ing eaching me hods a e being used mo e widely. EduSc um is a g oup
me hod in which s uden s ha e become accus omed o g oup p oblem sol ing, so
hey now o m mo e g oups and help each o he sol e examples be o e he exam
and p epa e o he exam oge he .
e. S uden s ha e access o a a ie y o suppo ma e ials in he uni e si y's academic
in o ma ion sys em, which hey inc easingly use o independen s udy.
5.4 Wha should he s a e do?
Acco ding o (Vanciko a, 2020), when eaching ma hema ics, i is necessa y o
de ine, adop , and implemen sys ema ic measu es aimed a :
1) eache s a all le els o schools ( eache aining and inc easing hei numbe );
2) eaching ma hema ics (mode n p ac ices, inc easing he e iciency o educa ion);
3) s uden s (suppo ing he imp o emen o s udy esul s);
4) legisla i e amewo k (inc easing he hou ly subsidy a seconda y oca ional
schools, manda o y ma hema ics g adua ion).
These a e also he measu es ha ep esen a i es o echnical uni e si ies, oge he
wi h di ec o s o seconda y oca ional schools, a e calling o he mos a p esen .
This is especially poin 4, which is ully in he hands o poli ical ep esen a ion.
Rec ui ing ma hema ics eache s a uni e si ies is also becoming a majo p oblem.
I canno be s a ed ha he si ua ion wi h he knowledge o seconda y school
g adua es applying o s udies a echnical uni e si ies has imp o ed signi ican ly
since 2019. The undamen al p oblem is he o e all insu icien emphasis o he s a e
on suppo ing echnical educa ion. Suppo in his di ec ion mus begin in elemen a y
schools. E en hough uni e si ies egula ly commen on he eadiness o seconda y
school g adua es o s udy a echnical uni e si ies, employe s also exp ess hei
iews, he si ua ion has no changed ye .
6 CONCLUSION
The pape desc ibes he si ua ion wi h he p oblem o a low pass a e o bachelo 's
s uden s a he FME STU h ough ma hema ical cou ses. Changing en y
equi emen s (s uden s' knowledge and skills, composi ion o applican s o s udy),
ex e nal in luences (hou ly allowance o eaching ma hema ics, equi ed knowledge
and skills), and echnical p og ess (a ailable so wa e ools, a i icial in elligence), all
necessa ily a ec he app oach o eache s and acul y managemen o eaching
ma hema ics and equi es a high deg ee o lexibili y o eache s a he acul y o
cope wi h hese changes (no only in ma hema ics). A he same ime, i is ue ha
e en a high deg ee o lexibili y o he acul y canno eplace some necessa y s a e
in e en ions (subsidy o ma hema ics hou s in seconda y schools, Ma u a in
ma hema ics), so he a gumen abou he insu icien adap abili y o uni e si ies o
he changing condi ions in which hey ope a e does no hold up.
The p oblems wi h comple ing ma hema ics cou ses a he bachelo 's le el o s udy
a he FME STU also con i m he gene ally alid conclusion (Vanciko a, 2020) - he
quali y o highe educa ion in he coming yea s will no be de e mined by he quali y
o incoming s uden s bu by i s abili y o adap o new condi ions so ha uni e si ies
a e able o p o ide quali y educa ion and a he same ime se e an inc easingly
di e se g oup o s uden s. Au ho s in end o e e o he adop ed measu es and hei
e ec i eness a he nex SEFI e en s.
7 ACKNOWLEDGMENT
This pape was c ea ed wi h he suppo o he Cul u al and Educa ional G an
Agency (KEGA), g an s numbe 025STU-4/2024 and 016STU-4/2025.
