Why invest in maths and science education
STEM subjects form part of historically excluded knowledge systems (30-40% of secondary schools in South Africa did not offer maths beyond Grade 9 before 1994), resulting in a continued significant divide between historically advantaged and disadvantaged groups. In 2016, the proportion of black learners who passed maths with 60% or more was 9%. By contrast, the proportion of whites passing with more than 60% was 52%, while the proportions for coloured and Indian pupils were 20% and 40% respectively. In maths literacy, only 8% of black learners passed with a mark of above 60%, compared with 20% for coloured learners, 44% for Indians, and 73% for white learners.
Maths tutoring service Brighter Futures conducted diagnostic tests with more than 8 000 high-school learners in 2017. The results revealed that concepts like multiplication are not being properly mastered from as early on as Grade 3. The average performance of fractions at Grade 4-7 level was just 31% and integers at 32%. As a result, Grade 9 learners unable to achieve 50% or more were encouraged or mandated to switch from mathematics to maths literacy in Grade 10. On average, 50-60% of learners drop to maths literacy in Grade 10. According to Grade 12 matric results in 2017, 66% of learners wrote maths literacy, with only 34% writing pure maths.
Both learners and educators require intervention to improve STEM-subject outcomes within education. Education stakeholders are finding ways to aid and support both, and public-private partnerships are often the most successful means to achieve this. According to the World Bank, interventions in sub-Saharan Africa include raising the status of maths and STEM education to a national priority, improving initial teacher training, supporting practicing teachers, providing more and better textbooks, supporting teachers with technology, supporting student self-learning through technology, emphasising that maths is not just a subject for boys, and changing attitudes towards the subject.
Models of intervention
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Supporting teachers
Many learners struggle with maths and science due to language barriers, large numbers of children in classrooms, and a lack of resources and facilities at schools. However, another crucial factor is ineffective teaching methods, which can be attributed to a lack of school leadership. A study conducted by the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation in 2018 showed that only six of 22 primary school teachers in 24 of the poorest schools across several provinces were able to perform a simple calculation in maths, and teachers scored as low as 5% for maths during a simple survey held to assess teacher competency.
In order to improve maths and science education in South Africa, various organisations have developed training courses and workshops aimed at developing innovative teaching approaches within the classroom and enriching the skills of in-service teachers. Teacher development is critical, in terms of both maths and science content and teaching methodologies. Continuous learning should also be a priority.
An African Union target for 2063 is to increase the number of qualified teachers by at least 30%, with a focus on STEM, since learners cannot thrive at STEM subjects without sufficiently qualified and committed teachers.
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Supporting learners
Supporting learners to achieve in maths and science can be difficult, particularly as learners have different needs, learn in different ways, and face a range of diverse challenges. Teachers often want the best for their students but may lack support. Interventions that specifically support learners include online tuition, supplementary teaching, coaching, communities of practice, holiday programmes, after-school programmes and more.
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ICT initiatives
Maths and science initiatives that use ICT are beneficial to both teachers and learners as they are easily accessed, usually via the internet, on computers, tablets, smart phones, and other communication mediums. These initiatives are also flexible as they are not constrained to being used at a certain time or in a specific location. Teachers can use them as aids and resources in the classroom and students can also access various ICT programmes for extra lessons and exam preparation.
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Specialist schools
The need for better education in maths and science in South Africa has led to the founding of schools that specialise in these subjects. These schools generally accept learners from high-need communities that demonstrate an aptitude for maths and science.
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Other initiatives
Various initiatives have been implemented to encourage the development of learners’ maths and science skills. These include school bursaries and scholarships, competitions, science fairs, exhibitions, and a variety of ad-hoc educational programmes.
