South Africa’s grade 5 and grade 9 learners have again ranked extremely poorly in the 2023 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
South Africa’s grade 5 learners\u2014who were largely assessed against grade 4 learners from other countries\u2014placed stone last among the 58 nations assessed for both mathematics and science.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The grade 9 learners\u2014who were largely assessed against grade 8 learners from other countries\u2014placed slightly better, ranking fifth-last, above Morocco, Brazil, Palestine and Jordan in mathematics, and second-last for science, placing above Morocco.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The performance of grade 9 learners improved slightly from the previous study.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Norway assessed students in the fifth and ninth year of schooling so students would be compared to students of similar age in Denmark, Finland, and Sweden.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
South Africa assessed students in their fifth and ninth years of schooling to better match curricula and maintain trend measurement. T\u00fcrkiye also chose to assess students in the fifth grade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
South Africa’s Department of Basic Education has used the TIMMS as well as other studies\u2014such as the SEACMEQ\u2014to compile a diagnostic document that will inform future interventions in education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dr Mark Chetty, Director for National Assessments at the Department of Basic Education, said the tests are based on the cognitive demands in certain content areas. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
TIMMS specifically focuses on mathematics and science, while the SEACMEQ includes literacy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He described the latest results as a “mixed bag”, presenting challenges for the lower grade study and some positives for the higher grade result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“These studies give us a sense of where we are as a system. The results show us that we are making good progress in terms of grade 9, but we have a slight decline and challenges that we need to address in foundational literacy and numeracy,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He added that the studies provide an international benchmark, a regional benchmark and a local benchmark for education which will give the seventh administration the opportunity to establish a baseline for decisions to be made.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“While the results require targeted intervention, we now know more precisely and more accurately where to intervene,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“So we’re working from a position of strength for targeted intervention and support.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The full rankings can be found below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Grade 4 Mathematics (SA grade 5)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n
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