MATHS LITERACY IS USEFUL FOR VARIOUS CAREERS
IT IS the most sneered upon subject in South Africa’s school curriculum, but mathematics literacy is going nowhere, the basic education department insists.
Principals of well-performing public schools often talk proudly about the subject not being offered in their schools.
Universities do not accept matriculants who took maths literacy at school level into science and engineering studies.
Mbongeni Mtshali, principal of Velabahleke High school in Umlazi, Kwa-Zulu-Natal, last year famously called for scrapping of maths literacy, saying only pure mathematics taught pupils critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
But the department stands its ground against the criticism. spokesman Elijah Mhlanga said: “We can’t drop maths literacy, and we’ll never drop it. If it happens, I don’t think it would be in this term.
“It has contributed a lot in ensuring that a lot more people are taking some form of mathematics. This is something which did not happen in the past.
“We think that it’s playing a huge role in terms of giving people literacy skills. Remember, it’s not everyone who wants to be a doctor.
“Some people want to be hairdressers, plumbers, etc. In the course of their business, they need to be able to count. It gives them basic literacy skills they need.”
Believed to be easier to pass, maths literacy is compulsory to every pupil not taking pure maths. Of the 388 845 matrics who wrote it last year, 71.4% (277 594) passed it.
This was in stark contrast to the 49.1% pass rate in pure maths. Only 129 481 of the 263 903 that wrote maths in matric in 2015 passed. Mhlanga said the department was now looking at boosting the image of maths literacy as a subject of its own, and not an imitation of maths.
“All that we need to do is to communicate effectively, that it is not an alternative for mathematics. If you want to become a doctor or scientist, you need to pick maths – that must be made clear.
“Maths literacy is not a junior mathematics. No, it’s a standalone subject, with its own objectives in the curriculum. We must not compare it to mathematics.
“In fact, it shouldn’t have been called maths literacy, in the first place. People believe it’s just some maths that is not good enough.”
Vera Frith, an academic at the University of Cape Town’s Numeracy Centre, wrote in a 2006 study she conducted with Lynn Bowie, then with Wits University, that maths literacy had potential to serve a meaningful purpose to pupils who dropped pure maths at Grade 9.
This would be achieved if maths literacy is of a high quality, they wrote. Frith yesterday told Sowetan the subject has become less challenging over the years.
“It’s my personal opinion that … it has become less of a demanding subject than it was in the original form.”