‘Persistent challenge’: SA’s kids failing at maths and science – study

South African children have ranked last in an assessment of mathematics and science in the latest international study, covering 54 countries.

In the study, 2023 Trends in International Mathematics and Science, released this week, South African Grade 5s scored an average of 362 points in mathematics. They lagged behind countries such as Morocco, Brazil and Saudi Arabia.

This marks a decline from the 374 points achieved in 2019.

Study shows SA pupils on downward slope with maths, science

In science, the country fared even worse, scoring an average of 308 points also for Grade 5s, below nations like Morocco, Kuwait and Jordan.

This is a drop from the 324 points recorded in 2019.

According to the study, 91% of students from countries scoring below the low international benchmark of 400 demonstrated only basic mathematical understanding.

‘Systemic challenges’

Minister of Basic Education Siviwe Gwarube said the results reflected both progress and persistent challenges.

“The results also highlight significant disparities. [Pupils] in quintile 1 to 3 schools, representing the most economically disadvantaged communities, consistently perform worse than those in quintile 4 and 5 schools,” she said in a statement sent to Saturday Citizen.

“These [pupils] lag in mathematics and science due to systemic challenges, including inadequate infrastructure, limited access to learning materials and uneven teacher development opportunities. These disparities highlight the urgent need for targeted interventions to bridge the performance gap and ensure equitable educational outcomes across the system.”

Impact of Covid pandemic on education system

Alana Bailey, Afriforum head of cultural affairs, attributed part of the decline to the long-term effects of the Covid pandemic.

“One of the main things to bear in mind is that the Covid pandemic had a significant impact on [pupils]. While it was an international issue, South African schools really struggled to cope, especially compared to countries with better communication and transport systems,” she said.

“We’re still seeing the impact of that period. On the other hand, there’s the ongoing issue of a lack of mother-tongue education. We also have a problem with oversized classes in schools.”

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Study insights: How Grade 9 pupils ranked in maths and science?

The report also assessed Grade 9 pupils, who scored 397 for mathematics, a slight improvement from the 389 in 2019.

The score secured them a slightly better ranking of fifth-last in mathematics, above Morocco, Brazil, Palestine and Jordan.

In science they scored 362, a drop from 370 from their performance in 2019, ranking second last, ahead of Morocco.

No quick-fix for curriculum challenges

While noting this progress, Bailey highlighted persistent curriculum challenges.

“The problem is, there isn’t a quick-fix solution. We are convinced that one of the main issues is the lack of mother-tongue education for most children.

“The curriculum itself isn’t always user-friendly for South African [pupils]. On top of that, we’ve seen high levels of crime in schools.

“It’s really a combination of South Africa-specific challenges.”

Gwarube emphasised the stark gap between pupils instructed in their mother tongue and those taught in a second language.

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Language barrier impacts on understanding of maths and science

Chair of the National Association of School Governing Bodies Matakanye Matakanya agreed with the minister, attributed poor results to the lack of mother-tongue education.

“The language barrier is the elephant in the room. At this stage, subjects like mathematics and science become more complex, requiring [pupils] to understand concepts deeply rather than just memorising facts.

“Doing this in a second language makes it much harder,” he said.

From Grade 4 onwards, South African pupils often transition to English-medium education, which experts argue hampers their ability to grasp complex concepts.

“Educational psychologists emphasise the importance of language, culture and context in cognitive development. Mother- tongue education allows children to grasp concepts better and ask questions more confidently.

“Teachers go to university and learn in English, but when they return to classrooms, they teach children in English without the tools to coteach in indigenous languages. There’s no effort to train teachers to coteach or translate concepts into local languages. This is a systemic issue,” Matakanya added.

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Proactive stance to tackle poor maths and science rankings in study

Education activist Hendrick Makaneta said that despite the poor rankings, there were signs of improvement in addressing gaps in the education system.

“The department of education’s proactive stance on using these results to shape a targeted programme of action is commendable,” he said.