Department will not take away maths
JOBURG – This makes mathematics in whatever form, the Department of Basic Education said, compulsory for all children in the system.
The Department of Basic Education emphasised that mathematics would remain compulsory from grades 1 to 9 in the South African schooling system.
This after there had been reports of changes in promotional requirements to be made in the senior phase of the country’s schools. These reports, the department said, alluded to mathematics being optional.
The department said it had instead published a set of proposals regarding minimum promotion requirements for the senior phase, which includes grades 7, 8, and 9. It proposed schoolchildren should pass four subjects at 40 per cent, one of which should be a home language, pass any other four subjects at 30 per cent and that mathematics still be compulsory to take but it would not be a compulsory promotion requirement.
The department, however, said there was no child in the system ‘who at any point does not [take] one or another form of mathematics until they complete their Grade 12’.
This makes mathematics in whatever form, it said, compulsory for all children in the system. The department said there had been an overall increase of schoolchildren passing mathematics nationwide.
“The number of learners passing mathematics at 50 per cent in Grade 12 has increased in recent years as well as the number of learners passing the subject with distinctions,” said the department.
At this point, the department said changing the pass requirements was still an issue of internal discussion and broader public consultation.
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