Was last year's matric mathematics exam easier than those preceding it, or did children suddenly get better at maths? Was last year's matric mathematics exam easier than those preceding it, or did children suddenly get better at maths? In 2007, 25415 students passed maths on the higher grade (HG), a similar number to the few years preceding. In 2008, the equivalent number of passes on the new curriculum - the national senior certificate - jumped to 63 034.The two exam years are not easily comparable, since in 2008 the practice of having both an HG and a standard grade (SG) paper was abolished. It was agreed with the universities that a 50% pass or higher on the new exam would be considered equivalent to an HG pass. This was done, says Umalusi chairman John Volmink, on the basis of an assessment of the cognitive demands of both the curriculum and the exemplars for the exam. Umalusi is the body charged with upholding the standard of the exams.The answer seems to be that while m...
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