A total of 464 public schools across South Africa do not offer learners the option of studying mathematics.
This was revealed in response to a parliamentary question by EFF MP Mandla Shikwambana to the minister of basic education, Siviwe Gwarube.
The provincial breakdown of public schools that do not teach mathematics is:
- KwaZulu-Natal — 135 schools;
- Eastern Cape — 84 schools;
- Limpopo — 78 schools;
- Western Cape — 61 schools;
- Gauteng — 31 schools;
- North West — 31 schools;
- Northern Cape — 19 schools;
- Free State — 14 schools; and
- Mpumalanga — 11 schools.
The Department of Basic Education (DBE) says there are several reasons why schools do not offer mathematics. One significant factor is linked to learner subject selection. As learners in Grade 10 choose their subject streams based on their interests and potential career paths, schools may find that the demand for core mathematics is not sufficient.
“While Mathematics remains a high-priority subject, schools — particularly smaller ones — may not have sufficient resources or demand to offer both Mathematics and Mathematical Literacy,” read the parliamentary reply.
Beyond demand driven by learner choice, schools also face operational and resource-based challenges. According to the DBE, even if some learners are interested, there might be limited enrolment in the mathematics stream, which can make it unviable to run a full class. There is also a shortage of qualified mathematics teachers, while budgetary and timetabling constraints can also limit the subjects a school offers.
Targeted interventions
The department said it was actively promoting the offering of mathematics in all schools and had several interventions to address the situation, including:
- Regular monthly engagement with provincial education departments to share best practices and address challenges;
- Subject advocacy to encourage schools and learners to choose mathematics over mathematical literacy, where appropriate;
- Supporting provinces to strengthen teacher capacity and learner performance; and
- Ongoing professional development focusing on improving teaching methodology to enhance learner understanding and retention in mathematics.
Specific strategic interventions have also been put in place by the minister of basic education and the DBE to improve learner participation and performance in mathematics.
These include the Mathematics, Science and Technology Conditional Grant, which supports teaching, learning and resourcing in specified secondary and primary schools by providing equipment, teacher training and learner support.
The department is also reviewing a trilateral cooperation framework with other departments to consolidate efforts and maximise the impact of aligned mathematics priorities, particularly in teacher development.
Other initiatives include:
- Placing new impetus on the Stem (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) Focus Schools Programme for specialised learning environments;
- Rolling out a mother tongue-based bilingual education initiative to overcome language barriers;
- Prioritising early childhood development and Foundation Phase education as the cornerstone of future mathematics success;
- Reviewing post-provisioning norms to ensure smaller Foundation Phase class sizes and prioritisation of numeracy posts;
- Updating the National Catalogue of Learning and Teaching Support Materials; and
- Protecting teaching and learning time through focuses such as time on task, teacher preparedness and textbooks.
Deepening inequality
Research shows that mathematics promotes logical reasoning, analytical thinking and mental discipline, helping learners develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills that are applicable beyond the classroom.
Early mathematics education helps children develop foundational skills such as pattern recognition, spatial awareness and logical reasoning, which are crucial for overall cognitive development and later academic success.
Furthermore, mathematics opens access to higher education opportunities and Stem careers, which are increasingly important in a technology-driven world.
The Department of Basic Education director-general, Hubert Mathanzima Mweli, said during the technical briefing ahead of the 2024 National Senior Certificate results in January, that the department was concerned about BSM subjects – business studies, accounting and economics. The department was equally concerned about the enrolment in mathematics, which saw a decline of 12,000, the highest in recent years.
Mweli highlighted that these trends could have dire implications for South Africa’s academic landscape and economic future.
He added that President Cyril Ramaphosa had given the department a clear instruction to find ways to improve enrolment in technical subjects and mathematics.
Gwarube echoed similar sentiments, warning of a spike in learners who progress through the basic education system without mastering foundational skills, particularly in literacy and numeracy. She said this hindered learners’ abilities to succeed in higher grades, diminishing their prospects of accessing further education and employment opportunities.
“This trend manifests itself in the perennial decrease of enrolment in subjects such as physical sciences, mathematics, accounting and economics, which are all subjects that are critical for a nation’s ability to advance in science, innovation and economic development,” she said.
The National Professional Teachers’ Organisation of South Africa (Naptosa) said the high number of schools not teaching mathematics did not bode well for the education system. Naptosa spokesperson Basil Manuel said schools not teaching mathematics would hinder the progress of South Africa’s education system, and the department needed to restore mathematics to the curricula of these schools.
The Public Servants Association (PSA) said schools that didn’t teach mathematics were predominantly in underprivileged communities, exacerbating inequalities in the education system.
“These learners would have limited options and study courses that are not needed by the market, thus condemning them to perpetual unemployment and poverty. This alarming development highlights a severe crisis in the education system that demands urgent attention and action,” said the PSA.
When teachers struggle, learners struggle
Khula Education is a non-profit organisation that works in partnership with rural schools and underserved communities in KwaZulu-Natal. Each year, the organisation supports more than 6,450 children and young people, along with more than 300 teachers in 22 rural schools.
Khula provides high-quality early childhood education through its preschools, supplementary teaching in maths and English at primary and secondary levels, and ongoing professional development for teachers. In addition, the organisation offers tailored support for young people to help them prepare for and access further education and meaningful employment.
Christopher Magunda, the head of Khula’s mathematics department, said that teacher confidence was often undermined by systemic issues and a lack of content knowledge, which have a negative impact on learner confidence and career aspirations.
“From my experience, I’ve seen that once teachers lack confidence, it filters on to the learners, and then learners believe that maths is difficult. Teacher confidence is the main culprit when it comes to students dropping maths,” he said.
“Besides deflating their personal confidence, it even affects their aspirations in life. So, mathematics is key. Regardless of which subjects you’re talking about or which career paths you want to follow, you require maths,” he said.
Magunda said that if schools stopped teaching mathematics, the skills shortage would persist.
“If we look at the current situation in South Africa, there is always a cry of a lack of skills; it doesn’t seem like we are working towards alleviating that problem in the near future. It means that the problem of skills shortage is going to persist unless some kind of intervention is done,” he said.
One of the key interventions is teacher support.
“In the short term, we can talk about teacher support, because these newly appointed teachers are just thrown into the deep end. They are put into the classrooms and they are unequipped with any tools that they need.
“You’d find sometimes there are no subject advisers who are supposed to support the teachers in the classroom, so at the end of the day, the teachers are just doing what they think is the correct thing to do,” he said. DM