In Papua New Guinea's Gulf Province, where traditional counting systems differ from the standard one-to-ten sequence, academics have launched a new children's book aimed at helping students engage more deeply with mathematics.

Bob Builds a Nest, written by Charles Darwin University Senior Lecturer in STEM Pathways Carla Eisemberg and Piku Biodiversity Network Director Yolarnie Amepou, follows the journey of a bowerbird to encourage children to explore maths in a relatable way.

The Gulf Province faces some of the steepest numeracy challenges in the country, with more than six languages spoken locally, each featuring its own counting system.

Ms Amepou said national skill assessments showed that around two-thirds of Grade 5 students in PNG did not meet expected numeracy standards.

"Early schooling access is also low in Gulf - only about a quarter of six-year-olds enter elementary preparatory, and this weak start in schooling translates into major gaps in numeracy later on," she said.

"By creating a resource specifically for Gulf Province children, we're aiming to strengthen their basic number skills from the earliest years, helping to bridge the gap for one of the most disadvantaged regions in the country."

Dr Eisemberg said Rumu speakers "define numbers beyond five as '5 + 1' or '5 + 2', with multiples of five being represented as '5 x 1' or '5 x 2'".

"This made the book quite an interesting challenge because each language counts in different ways, so incorporating that needed a bit of consultation," she said.

She explained that the story of Bob Builds a Nest is framed around the perspective of a bowerbird, a striking orange-and-yellow bird native to PNG.

"In previous books, I've used other local animals such as fish, fruit bats, and water rats, and this time I wanted to use a bird," Dr Eisemberg said.

"Many similar books talk about counting 'three elephants' or 'five giraffes', but this will be more relatable for these children - they can count the shells, berries, and flowers Bob the Bowerbird uses to build his nest instead."

The book will be launched on November 7 at the Radicle Centre, Danala | Education and Community Precinct in Darwin, with the event open to anyone interested in STEM and celebrating the diversity of subjects like mathematics.