In the national spirit and thrust to improve performance in Mathematics participation and performance, the Department of Basic Education (DBE) has embarked on a comprehensive professional development programme for Senior Phase (Grades 8 and 9) Mathematics teachers.
The thrust of the programme is content, pedagogy and assessment. The Senior Phase has been identified as a phase that requires more targeted and rigorous professional development for subject advisors and teachers. Hence, the DBE put together a team of Mathematics officials and subject advisors to provide targeted intervention focused on teacher training. The team met in Boksburg, Johannesburg, from 27 to 31 July 2026 to develop a Training Manual for a Support Programme, with a special focus on Algebra, Measurement, Geometry and Data Handling. The manual, which will ensure consistency in delivery and scalability, will be developed collaboratively with Provincial Coordinators and subject specialists, with DBE oversight.
National and international assessments continue to highlight deficiencies in learners’ grasp of Foundational Mathematics concepts. These gaps impede learners’ ability to engage with complex problem-solving tasks, especially in the transition from Senior Phase to FET. In addition, three out of five priority areas of the 2013 UNESCO Roadmap for implementing Education for Sustainable Development resonate with the core intention of the DBE to transform and strengthen teaching and learning in Mathematics such as learning and training environments, building capacities of educators and trainers and accelerating sustainable solutions at local levels.
The Support Programme will start in the more rural provinces such as the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo. Once the training resources are finalised, they will be submitted to SACE for quality assurance and endorsement. They can then be used by all Provinces, Districts, and schools towards building teacher capacity, competencies, and confidence. Training of Grade 8 and 9 Mathematics teachers will be rolled out during August and September 2026, and resume in February and March 2027, with the DBE monitoring and supporting the training workshops. “It is important to note that the training manual is not a textbook, and therefore the format and the purpose are different from that of a textbook,” said Director for Teacher Development, Mr Phillip Dikgomo, whilst addressing the Provincial Coordinators at the week-long Training Manual Development Workshop.