27th Annual Student Research Conference
Rising to the Challenge: Mathematics Education in South Africa
Alexandra Potter
Dr. Elaine McDuff, Faculty Mentor
As the South African education system seeks to fulfill the constitutional promise of a basic education for everyone, including an adequate mathematics education, it struggles with the lingering effects of apartheid. Poor infrastructure and a lack of adequate teachers and resources in impoverished communities, all part of the legacy of apartheid, still hinder student progress in mathematics. The Norms and Standards for School Infrastructure, published on November 29, 2013, provide hope that resources will continue to become more equitable across poverty lines. The greatest hope, however, for effective mathematics education in South Africa lies in learning from the mistakes of the past and from current success stories. The examples of Nkazimlo Primary School and Thandokhulu High School, both in the Cape Town area, make it clear that cooperation between educators, students, and parents has a significant ability to compensate for the devastating effects of poverty on education.
Keywords: mathematics, education
Topic(s):Democracy and Human Rights in South Africa
Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: 405-4
Location: MG 2090
Time: 3:15