The BusinessTech article ‘Incoming South African teachers score 54% on primary school maths tests: report’ presents findings from the first 2030 Reading Panel report. The 2030 Reading Panel aims to ensure that all South African children read for meaning by age 10 in 2030.
Some key concerns were raised, including:
- First-year students studying education across three universities scored only 52% on a primary school maths test. Students in their final year of study scored 54%. The panel recommended an audit of university programs that train primary school teachers, as the levels of content knowledge were found to be extremely low.
- Almost half of teachers are due to retire in the next ten years, but there is no current plan to address the teacher shortage that will result.
- The loss of subject matter learning during the pandemic shows that, as of 2022, South African children are 1.3 years behind.