South Africa’s Basic Education Sector is determined to keep its performance on an upward trajectory following the release of the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) from 2011-2023 and the Southern and Eastern Africa Consortium for Monitoring Educational Quality (SEACMEQ) from 2002-2021. In 2022, the Department of Basic Education (DBE) also conducted the South African Systemic Evaluation (SASE), aimed at improving sector performance in the Foundation, Intermediate and Senior phases. Minister of Basic Education, Ms Siviwe Gwarube, joined by Deputy Minister, Dr Reginah Mhaule, officially released the three sets of education research studies consisting of TIMSS 2023; SEACMEQ V; and SASE 2022 at the DBE Conference Centre in Pretoria on 4 December 2024.

Assessment experts, scholars and education senior officials at national and provincial level use South Africa’s performance in the international assessments to detect learning deficits in the General Education and Training (GET) band. Unpacking the findings of the studies, Dr Mark Chetty, Director for National Assessment at the DBE, described TIMSS as an assessment of the mathematics and science knowledge of fourth and eighth grade learners around the world. “TIMSS was developed by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) to allow participating nations to monitor their educational achievement, and how they change over time, as well as compare leaners’ educational achievement across borders in the key subjects of mathematics and science. In South Africa, due to different academic school calendars to countries in the northern hemisphere, TIMSS is conducted amongst Grades 5 and 9 learners in public and independent schools.

Grade 3 learners from 303 schools took part in the 2023 study.  SEACMEQ V took place in 2021, and tested Grade 6 learners, selected from all nine provinces of South Africa, and their teachers in Reading Literacy, Mathematics, HIV/AIDs, and other health-related issues. The study was conducted in 298 schools where 1,036 teachers and 6,629 learners participated. SASE is a flagship national programme for monitoring learner achievement and examining learning outcomes in Grades 3, 6 and 9. The assessment focuses on Language and Mathematics with attention on tracking national and provincial progress. As part of the assessment, 56,650 learners from 1,688 schools were sampled from Grade 3; 58,005 learners from 1,614 schools were sampled in Grade 6; and 47,540 learners from 1,620 schools were sampled from Grade 9,” explained Dr Chetty.

The release culminated into a panel discussion session in which local and international scholars made recommendations on the studies. The scholars pointed out that the DBE still has a lot of work to do to strengthen curriculum delivery in the early grades. The scholars recommended that the DBE should implement targeted research-based interventions to address the recurrent decline in Reading and Mathematics, focusing specifically on language instruction through the effective implementation of the Mother Tongue-based Bilingual Education (MTbBE) in the intermediate and senior phases. “Reduce provincial disparities by addressing provincial inequalities through resource allocation and targeted support. Allocate resources equitably, improving technology and infrastructure in under-resourced areas and leverage digital platforms or education equity,” added the scholars. In her remarks, Deputy Minister Mhaule agreed that the release of the first Systemic Evaluation baseline results served as both a diagnostic and a call to action for the DBE and stakeholders in education. “The three studies provide robust data and actionable insights based on key indicators stipulated in the study findings. The focus on systemic issues underscores the importance of a holistic approach to educational development, aimed at achieving sustainable growth in South Africa’s education sector,” highlighted Deputy Minister Mhaule.

Minister Gwarube stated that the results revealed both areas of progress and persistent challenges. “On the positive side, our Grade 9 learners have demonstrated incremental improvements in Mathematics and Science, with performance levels rising slightly compared to previous cycles. This reflects the dedication of our educators and learners, as well as the impact of targeted interventions in certain provinces. However, the results also highlight significant disparities. The gap between learners receiving instruction in their mother tongue and those taught in a second language remains stark. This linguistic divide hampers comprehension and academic achievement, particularly in foundational subjects like Mathematics and Science,” concluded Minister Gwarube.