'No improvement' in matric maths

2009-01-03 14:06

Johannesburg - The 2008 mathematics results do not necessarily reflect real improvement in mathematics education in SA, said a group of the subjects' educators on Saturday.

"The mathematics targets achieved by the education department should not be misconstrued as indicators of any real improvement in mathematics education in South Africa," said the Concerned Mathematics Educators (CME) in a statement.

Co-ordinator of the group Aslam Mukadam said although the department had met its mathematics targets in eight out of the nine provinces, the CME questioned what benefit this had in terms of the quality of passes.

On Tuesday, Education Minister Naledi Pandor said the department had set a national target of 50 000 students passing mathematics with a mark of at least 50%.

Candidates totalling 63 038 achieved a pass of 50% while 42 323 achieved a pass of 60% or higher.

"We will present the full break down when we publish the final report at the end of January," Pandor said at the time.

On Saturday, Mukadam said the CME believed that the final mathematics exam was watered down and therefore widened the gap between school and university for top students.

Inadequate preparations

"The type of questioning was unchallenging for talented and competent learners.

"If this standard is going to be used as a benchmark for future examinations it will not adequately prepare young learners to study mathematics-related courses at university level."

He said even students that passed matric mathematics above the 50% mark were not necessarily adequately prepared to cope with mathematics-related courses such as engineering, architecture and business science at tertiary institutions.

Mukadam said students who excelled at mathematics usually also excelled at science.

He said in the mathematics exam 21.2% of learners scored above 50%, while only 14.9% scored above 50% for the physical sciences examination, which he said was of a very good standard.

"This major discrepancy is a sure indicator that the standard of the mathematics exam for 2008 had dropped to an unacceptable level."

He said despite this approximately 60% of the students had still failed mathematics.

"This stands in stark contrast to the extremely high pass rate of 78.7% in mathematical literacy.

"It is therefore easy to conceive that learners will now opt for what is perceived as the simpler alternative to mathematics viz mathematical literacy."

Mukadam said this appeared to defeat the intended outcome of producing more potential in SA students to follow careers in mathematics-based disciplines.

He said at the moment universities were already forced to bring matriculants up to speed with bridging courses and extended degree programmes.

Readjust the system

"The structure of the present curriculum and its assessment process further exacerbates this situation."

Mukadam said the structure and assessment system in the "one-size-fits-all" mathematics curriculum was making the subject less accessible for the weaker student and was not adequately preparing the top students.

He suggested an interim measure was to readjust the assessment system so that top students would also write an optional additional paper testing further conceptual abilities in the subject.

Mukadam said the CME had set up a website, www.mathematicsexcellence.co.za, which contained free maths textbooks from Grade one to 12 which students could use to upgrade their skills.

- SAPA