The importance of maths and science education for ensuring that people have the skills needed for economic growth is backed up by many years of research. When considering why and how to invest in improving maths and science education outcomes, it’s necessary to consider the challenges, and the policies, research, and studies that inform possible solutions. This article provides policy papers and research to inform and evidence investments.
CSI spend on maths and science education
Trialogue’s annual research into CSI spend in South Africa showed that, in 2022, education is the most supported development sector, which is in line with previous years. Almost all companies (98%) supported education in 2022 (up from 91% in 2021). The average CSI spend on education increased from 39% in 2021 to 44% in 2022, still below the half of average CSI spend recorded in 2020. Maths and science is the subject area that receives most support from companies. It received 30% of CSI education spend in 2022.
Research into the scope of maths and science education challenges
| RESEARCH PAPER: TEACHING MATHEMATICS DURING THE COVID-19 LOCKDOWN IN A CONTEXT OF HISTORICAL DISADVANTAGE | This research paper from the University of Johannesburg explored how grade 12 mathematics teachers at South African public secondar schools responded to emergency remote teaching (ERT) during lockdown. The study foregrounds issues of inequality in the South African education system that must be urgently dealt with. These issues were seen in a starker light during the pandemic. |
| NATIONAL SENIOR CERTIFICATE RESULTS 2022: SCHOOLS SUBJECT REPORT | The Schools Subject Report is released by the Department of Basic Education (DBE) each year. It reports historical data on the 11 gateway subjects (accounting, agricultural sciences, business studies, economics, English first additional language (FAL), geography, history, life sciences, mathematical literacy, mathematics, and physical sciences) in each province and district. For education stakeholders, it gives a good idea of which subjects need attention, and where interventions are needed. In 2022, 55% of those who wrote mathematics passed, while 57,6% passed in 2021, and 53.8% passed in 2020. In physical science, there was a 74.6% pass rate in 2022, a 69% pass rate in 2021, and a 65.8% pass rate in 2020. |
| THE DEPARTMENT OF BASIC EDUCATION ANNUAL PERFORMANCE PLAN 2023/2024 | Each year, the Department of Education (DBE) releases their plan to achieve the objectives of Chapter 9 in the National Development Plan, which is improving education, training and innovation. |
| MATHEMATICS OUTCOMES IN SOUTH AFRICAN SCHOOLS: WHAT ARE THE FACTS? | The report ‘Mathematics outcomes in South African Schools: What are the facts? What should be done?’ summarises two specially commissioned Centre for Development and Enterprise (CDE) reports. Both are independent studies of the state of schooling in South Africa as at early 2013. |
| TIMSS REPORT 2019 – WHAT WE CAN LEARN ABOUT EDUCATION IN SOUTH AFRICA | The release of the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) reports for Grades 5 and 9 have prompted debate about South Africa’s poor maths and science results. The 2019 report described the country’s maths and science performance using TIMSS global benchmarks. Key findings of the report indicate that maths and science scores improved from ‘very low’ (1995, 1999 and 2003) to ‘low’ (2011, 2015, 2019). Achievement continues to remain highly unequal, with the condition of schools and the school climate an ongoing concern. |
Research to inform possible solutions
| SELF-CONCEPT, SELF-EFFICACY AND MATHEMATICS ACHIEVEMENT ACROSS COUNTRIES | There has been a lot of research showing the link between self-perception and how competent one believes oneself to be, and academic achievement in subjects such as mathematics. However, this differs across cultures. The 2017 research paper ‘Self-Concept, Self-Efficacy, and Mathematics Achievement: Students in 65 Regions Including the US and Asia’, published in the book ‘What Matters? Research Trends in International Comparative Studies in Mathematics Education (pp.267-288)’ explores this further. |
| HOW DOES SAFETY AFFECT MATHEMATICS ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUTH AFRICA? | There are numerous factors that affect maths education in South Africa, and many are socioeconomic. This University of Pretoria study looks at safety factors associated with mathematics achievement in South African schools. |
| EXAMINING THE PEDAGOGY OF MATHEMATICS IN SOUTH AFRICA | In response to the dire state of mathematics education in South Africa, Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection (MISTRA) published a report in March 2022 to constructively re-examine methods of teaching mathematics in South Africa. The research investigated the possibility of a unified way of teaching maths that could benefit both teacher and learner, and whether a unifying logic existed for how mathematics could be taught. |
| SOUTH AFRICAN GIRLS’ EXPERIENCES IN CHOOSING STEM SUBJECTS | The chapter opens by noting that the issue of the gender disparity in STEM professions is of global concern, and that very few girls choose to study sciences in secondary schools in South Africa. If we are able to understand the reasons for this, education stakeholders can ensure they support and motivate more girls to choose sciences. |
| THE STATE OF SOUTH AFRICAN MATHEMATICS EDUCATION: SITUATING THE HIDDEN PROMISE OF MULTIPLE-SOLUTION TASKS | This 2020 study suggests that, in the modern era, individuals are expected to possess skills that will be useful for them to succeed. It investigates the idea that education should be assisting learners to develop these skills by making multiple-solution tasks accessible via the maths curriculum. |
| LANGUAGE AND LEARNING SCIENCE IN SOUTH AFRICA | Although the Language -in-Education policy has been recommending school practices that promote bilingualism and the use of learners home language within the classroom since 1997, this has not been implemented in most schools. Most learners, therefore, do not have the proficiency in English to successfully engage with the curriculum. The research undertaken for this report investigates the language practises in six grade 8 science classrooms, where the lesson is provided through the medium of English but the teacher shares a home language of Xhosa with the learners. The aim was to assist teachers by better understanding their current perceptions and experiences, while also providing them with suitable solutions and best practice in developing a successful bilingual approach. |
| INTEGRATING EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN MATHEMATICS EDUCATION IN ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED AREAS IN SOUTH AFRICA | This report provides feedback on a qualitative case study which investigated the various factors that have a positive and negative influence on teacher’s use of educational technology in maths education within economically disadvantaged areas of South Africa. |
| MATHEMATICS TEACHING PROJECT – FACTORS INFLUENCING SUCCESS | For an intervention to improve the quality of mathematics in a school to succeed, it is essential that the project design includes both the maths teacher and the wider school organisational context, says this article by education specialist André Forbes, Project Management Specialist and Consultant for Siyawela and Project Manager – Old Mutual/Siyawela Community of Practice. It also needs to acknowledge that improved mathematics is a curriculum outcome that extends beyond the narrow objective of raising an individual teacher’s expertise. |
| EVALUATING BRIDGING PROJECTS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF GRADE 12 MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE RESULTS | This evaluation of three post-school bridging projects at Reunert College, Midlands Community College and Star Schools offered an opportunity to learn what it takes to implement a bridging programme and what model results in the best outcome. Each project offered extended tuition in maths and science, tertiary access and life skills support, providing opportunities for learners to improve their Grade 12 results and gain access into tertiary studies in science and technical careers. |
| ANALYSING MATRIC DATA TO IDENTIFY ’PROMISING’ SCHOOLS IN MATHEMATICS PERFORMANCE | This report investigated several areas of performance which lead to the identification of ‘promising schools’ in quintile 1 to quintile 3. Some of the Indicators of performance identified included: consistency in candidates performance, candidate performance that went above expectations, and encouraging learners with good maths potential to take mathematical literacy instead of ‘pure’ maths. |
| A CASE STUDY EXPLORING THE PEDAGOGICAL CONTENT KNOWLEDGE OF INTERMEDIATE PHASE MATHEMATICS TEACHERS | In an attempt to explore various reasons for South Africa’s poor learner results in mathematics, this study explored the pedagogical content knowledge of teachers when teaching 2D and 3D shapes. Teachers chosen for the study needed to have five or more years of teaching experience in order to be chosen for the study. The investigation focused on three main categories of teacher’s pedagogical knowledge: Knowledge of content and curriculum, knowledge of content and training, and Knowledge of Content and Students. |
| THE DREAM OF SISYPHUS: MATHEMATICS EDUCATION IN SOUTH AFRICA | This article by Nick Taylor, from The South African Journal of Childhood Education, attempts to examine reasons for poor maths performance in South African schools, focusing specifically on teacher training in mathematics. It examines three teacher training mechanisms for improving both learning and teaching. |
| LANDSCAPE REVIEW OF MATHEMATICS INTERVENTIONS IN SOUTH AFRICAN SCHOOLS | In order to access information about the areas of greatest need, this report was commissioned by the Zenex Foundation to collect evidence on existing Mathematics intervention programmes in South Africa. The specific areas of focus within these interventions were: type of intervention, geographical location and phase, content area and target. |
| EXAMINING SCIENCE PERFORMANCE OF SOUTH AFRICAN GRADE 9 LEARNERS IN TIMSS 2015 THROUGH A GENDER LENS | Although research is indicating that girls performance in science-based subjects is starting to improve, women are still drastically underrepresented in all STEM careers in South Africa (and most African countries). This study examines the relationship between gender and science achievement of grade 9 learners in the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) in 2015. |
| TEACHING SCIENCE IN THE FOUNDATION PHASE: WHERE ARE THE GAPS AND HOW ARE THEY ACCOUNTED FOR? | This study, involving four foundations phase teachers, investigated difficulties in the implementation of the science curriculum. The aim was to assist teachers with the various challenges that they may face, based on the fact that foundation phase teachers are not specialists in science but are expected to teach science as a subject. The findings showed that, although none of the four teachers were competent on teachings science, they were competent in engaging learners through questions and activities. Had the teachers spent more time preparing their lessons, they would have had a better opportunity to master the necessary scientific knowledge, which would have assisted them in passing this knowledge on to the learners. |
| CONSTRAINTS INFLUENCING THE EFFICACY OF A PGCE MATHEMATICS PROGRAM: A CASE STUDY | With the maths results of South African learners being so poor, and the lack of suitably qualified maths teachers being identified as one of the mitigating factors, the Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) was introduced as a viable solution. This paper, however, argues that there are a variety of constraints to the programme that have been identified by both prospective and current educators. The paper explores these constraints, focusing on various aspects like curriculum, partnerships, and delivery policy, in order to make an assessment of the efficacy of the PGCE programme. |
