“The problems in mathematics education in South Africa do not begin at matric level,” said Lynn Bowie, a former Wits University mathematics lecturer who is now a mathematics education consultant for an online learning support programme catering to grade 8 and 9 pupils in Diepsloot.

“Both research and personal experience indicate that many of our learners do not get a firm foundation in mathematics at primary school and so enter high school without the skills necessary to progress in mathematics.”

Bowie said each year of school mathematics was built on the previous year, and until there were strong foundations there would be great difficulty making any improvements at the higher levels.

Pupils’ commitment was also a huge factor, according to a Katlehong maths teacher who spoke on condition of anonymity.

“Most pupils just do maths in class, they don’t practise at all, and when they fail the teacher is blamed. Those who bother to study do well. And a faulty instrument is used to determine pass rates – standards are lowered to create the impression that pass rates are good,” he said.

Zandile Ndaba, whose child goes to a private school, said she made that choice as she felt public school teachers did the “bare mimimum”.

“Good teachers would rather go to private schools where they are paid better, plus they don’t have to deal with too much bad behaviour from pupils. It’s utopia for teachers at private schools,” said Ndaba.

via Education problem that doesn’t add up – Post | IOL.co.za.