South Africa finishes stone last in Mathematics and Science

The 2023 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study revealed that South African learners finished stone last, even though they competed against much younger children.

The Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) is the largest pool of trend data from any international large-scale assessment in education.

In this latest cycle, TIMSS measured mathematics and science achievement in the fourth and eighth grades in 64 countries.

TIMSS has been conducted every four years since, providing 28 years of mathematics and science achievement trends.

Although the assessment was on learners in the fourth and eighth grades, South Africa sent students in their fifth and ninth grades.

The official reason is that local grade five and nine learners “better match curricula and maintain trend measurement”.

However, the reality is that South African learners are so poor that the international exams are much too difficult for them.

To compensate for our poor learners and education system, South Africa assessed learners who had one more year of education to try to match their global counterparts.

59 countries participated in TIMSS 2023 in the fourth grade. Despite assessing older and more experienced learners, South Africa finished last.

Most countries’ scores fell within the range of 400 to 600 points. Singapore topped the mathematics scores with 615, followed by Chinese Taipei with 607.

South Africa was last with a score of 362, well below the second-lower country, Kuwait, which scored 382. It was also well below the international average of 503.

The country fares even worse in science. It scored only 308, well below the second-last-placed Kuwait at 373. Again, it was far below the average of 494.

In science, most countries’ scores also fell within 400 to 600 points, and Singapore topped the list again with 607.

It is important to reiterate that South Africa finished last in both mathematics and science despite local students with one more year of schooling being assessed.

Average Mathematics Achievement

Average Science Achievement