GREG BECKER: Low maths teacher quality = poor pupil performance
Incentives to improve quality of teaching and smart use of skills could be powerful tools
SA’s performances in international benchmarking tests of mathematics and reading are distressing. To call them otherwise belies an understanding of how far off the pace many of our children are — the very same pupils who will become our workforce.
In the 2019 Trends in International Mathematics & Science Study of mathematical ability, 41% of SA pupils achieved the low benchmark, a level of maths mastery 87% of those from all countries studied were able to demonstrate. Just 3% of SA pupils achieved the high benchmark score, which 25% of pupils globally were able to achieve. The proportion of British, American and Japanese pupils who met this standard was 10 times, 15 times and 37 times that of SA pupils, respectively...
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