The problem with mathematics education in South Africa

[Jamie McKane]

The problem with mathematics education in South Africa

The latest figures on 2020 matric enrollment show the steady failure of the country to deliver satisfactory mathematics education.

This is nothing new, with the shocking downward trend in South African mathematics education reflected in the matric results every year.

 

[system32]

ANC government can't even get the basics right
How do we compete with the world if we can't get get education right.

 

[skimread]

ANC government can't even get the basics right
How do we compete with the world if we can't get get education right.

Problem with ANC government is that those people who don't pass maths include those in government and SOEs. They don't realize that if you have a tender and you get 1000% markup as a middleman that is not a good deal mathematically for the country. For them yes.

 

[konfab]

Last year’s figures show that out of the 787,717 students who wrote matric examinations, only 222,034 (28%) wrote mathematics. Of those who wrote, 45% did not achieve a passing grade of above 30%.

What is even worse is that that 55% who did "pass" maths, passed a pathetically easy paper that is ridiculously insufficient to prepare someone for university. How many of them passed about 50%?
Out of all the reasons why I am going to home-school my kids, this is the biggest one. School education in SA is pretty much a waste of time.

 

[skimread]

What is even worse is that that 55% who did "pass" maths, passed a pathetically easy paper that is ridiculously insufficient to prepare someone for university. How many of them passed about 50%?
Out of all the reasons why I am going to home-school my kids, this is the biggest one. School education in SA is pretty much a waste of time.

Surely the gov has to take responsibility and can't complain it's Apartheid. People in ZIm spend a fraction on education than we do and they get better results.

 

[Sinbad]

ANC government can't even get the basics right
How do we compete with the world if we can't get get education right.

No problem. The 4IR means everyone will have calculators on their phones so who needs maths

 

[konfab]

Surely the gov has to take responsibility and can't complain it's Apartheid. People in ZIm spend a fraction on education than we do and they get better results.

Better results on paper at least.

I don't think it can be any good considering the teachers get paid peanuts.

Zimbabwe's teachers currently receive a total of 11,000 Zimbabwe dollars, or R1,710 a month, including COVID-19 allowances.

PTUZ secretary-general Raymon Majongwe said, "as far as we are concerned, teachers cannot simply turn up for duty because they don't have money."

 

[Sarg3_ZN]

How many people did you see in Wakanda solving complex mathematics problems? None, cause they are so advanced they do not need these silly colonial concepts. Calculus for what? Calculus for who?

 

[ToxicBunny]

No problem. The 4IR means everyone will have calculators on their phones so who needs maths

No no no... you misunderstand 4IR as being referenced here...

The phones will have assistants that are custom built to understand the question and give the answer with no need for any interaction from the student... THAT is the way forward.

 

[SilverCode]

“It looks like our learners are running away from this,” said committee chairperson Bongiwe Mbinqo-Gigaba. “However, it then becomes difficult when they want to register for certain programmes at institutions of higher learning.”

Don't worry, I'm sure the EFF will start protesting and claiming that not allowing people who failed to meet the requirements for an institution of higher learning is discrimination.

 

[My_King]

How many people did you see in Wakanda solving complex mathematics problems? None, cause they are so advanced they do not need these silly colonial concepts. Calculus for what? Calculus for who?

No they didn't solve mathematical issues.....

Just running around with knopkierries and moering each other to be the next king

 

[Quicks]

You do not need math to Steal & Destroy. The youth today enjoy meth not math.

 

[grok]

Luckily you don't need mathematics to go fetch water from the river a few miles away or build a hut from mud & grass, like corruption maths is just a western thing.

Our government is living the life on the momentum apartheid left us, but it is rapidly running out, then again what is an African politician without a shiny new Benz?

 

[Thor]

fcked, is what the future is of this country.

^these are the future leaders

AI could not come at a better time.

 

[Aghori]

ANC government can't even get the basics right
How do we compete with the world if we can't get get education right.

I have to disagree politely with you.

The ANC are well aware of the Education problem - it was created by them deliberately. Uneducated poor voters who wait for handouts and grants are their aim. Educated people will not vote ANC.

It is all part of their communist/socialist agenda - to drag everybody down to a common level.

 

[Gatecrasher]

Technical Mathematics (also called Applied Mathematics) is a relatively new subject that is aimed at preparing matrics for work in a trade.

Hmmph. "Applied Mathematics" is a long established field of mathematics not at all geared for people working in a trade, more for people working in a quantitative profession or in postgraduate physical science research fields like Fluid dynamics, cosmology, relativity theory, etc. It's the basic framework of the theoretical physicist.

Sheldon would be horrified.

 

[thestaggy]

Dumb sh*ts are easier to manipulate and control.

Working as intended.

 

[TamrynHoffmann]

This has a lot to do with schools, we doing subject choices and are told if the kid does not get 60% for Maths in first term grade 9 they will not be put into maths next year and only if marks improve to that standard at the end of the year can we request it. So with that thinking even an average kid will resolve to I'm better off in maths Literacy. Meanwhile this encourages the stats you see, what happened to maths higher, standard and lower grade... Or have we simply renamed them and provided limited opportunity to accompany that change after all how many people are still doing the career that those subject choices dictate the post 40 years of matric?