Fewer Learners are Writing Maths – Here’s How One School is Turning That Around

In 2024, only 35,7% of South African learners writing the National Senior Certificate (NSC) opted to write the mathematics examination. That’s a 2% drop from the previous year and a sharp decline from 2019, when approximately 50% of learners wrote maths. It’s a worrying trend for a country that needs mathematically literate citizens to drive economic growth.

Of the 724,156 learners who sat the NSC, just 24% left school with a pass in mathematics. And when it comes to quality passes — those required to pursue further study in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) — the outlook is even more concerning. While 17,7% of students who wrote the exam achieved a quality pass, this translates to just 6.3% of the entire cohort. That’s only a 0,3% improvement on 2023.

This raises an urgent question: why are fewer learners taking maths, and how can schools turn the tide?

Why declining maths enrolment matters

Mathematics is a gateway subject. A pass in maths opens doors to university degrees, technical qualifications, and many in-demand careers. When fewer students take or pass maths, the long-term effects extend beyond the classroom.

Fewer students writing maths means fewer opportunities for the next generation to enter careers in engineering, finance, data science, healthcare, and education. It narrows the pipeline of future professionals who will contribute to solving national challenges.

It also places added strain on the economy. According to projections by South Africa’s Department of Higher Education and Training, the country faces a growing demand for skilled workers in STEM fields. But if school leavers lack the foundational maths skills to pursue these pathways, the gap between labour market needs and graduate supply will only widen.

What’s driving the decline?

Several factors contribute to the drop in maths enrolment:

• Poor foundational understanding: Many learners reach high school with significant gaps in their mathematical knowledge. Without interventions, these gaps make higher-level maths content inaccessible—and intimidating.
• Low confidence and anxiety: Learners who struggle with basic concepts often believe they are “just not good at maths.” This mindset can lead them to drop maths as soon as it’s optional, often in Grade 10.
• Curriculum pressure: The South African curriculum progresses quickly. If learners fall behind, there’s little time to catch up. Teachers are often forced to push ahead, even if students aren’t ready.
• Behavioural and engagement issues: As students fall behind, they may disengage or act out in class, further disrupting learning. While behaviour is complex and often influenced by many factors, like emotional wellbeing or home life, maths confidence and classroom success can play a big role in how students show up and participate.
• Lack of support structures: Overcrowded classrooms, limited teacher training in differentiation, and technology constraints make it difficult for schools to provide targeted support.

These issues compound over time. By the time learners reach their final years of schooling, the decision to opt out of maths feels like the safer, more achievable choice.

A school that’s beating the odds

While the national data shows a decline in learners writing and passing mathematics in their NSC, Apex High School in Cape Town offers a powerful example of how targeted intervention can turn things around.

Apex High School is a public school located in Eersteriver, supported through the Collaboration School Project by Acorn Education. Like many South African schools, Apex faced significant challenges in mathematics performance. Despite all Grade 9 learners having access to Reflective Learning in Grade 8, nearly half failed Grade 8 mathematics at the end of the year. The gaps were deep. Baseline assessments in 2021 revealed that Grade 9 learners were, on average, performing at a mid-Grade 5 level in Data Literacy, a high-Grade 4 level in Numbers and Problem Solving, and a low-Grade 1 level in Patterns & Algebra. Fractions and Measurement were at Grade 2 level.

Recognising that one year of support wasn’t enough to close these gaps, the school implemented Reflective Learning for a second year in Grade 9. Students worked with the program for approximately one hour per week during school time, with many choosing to continue independently at home. There was no added pressure of extra homework, just targeted foundation support taking place during school hours.

The impact was remarkable.

In 2019, only 18 learners in Grade 9 scored above 60% in maths. By 2021, that number more than doubled to 39 and the results held steady into 2022. Even more telling was the sharp drop in students scoring below 40%: from 42 in 2019 to just 26 in 2022.

But perhaps the most important insight comes from the relationship between mastery and outcomes. Learners who mastered more Reflective Learning “threads” (foundational strands like Numbers, Fractions, Patterns & Algebra, etc.) were significantly more likely to pass — and pass well. Just 20% of learners who mastered zero threads passed with a quality mark (over 60%). In contrast, 100% of learners who mastered four or more threads passed, and over 80% of them achieved a quality pass.

This means that learners who engaged deeply with Reflective Learning weren’t just improving, they were reaching the kind of outcomes needed to keep pursuing mathematics into the FET phase and beyond.

As the school itself shared:

“Since we started using Reflective Learning at Apex, our Grade 9 learners have gotten better at maths. They just try harder and are OK with making mistakes, because they know it’s part of the learning process. Previously, they would get down in the dumps, but now they get back up and try again. It is great to see.”

Apex High’s success shows that with the right tools and sustained support, schools can overcome even entrenched learning challenges. By focusing on foundational understanding and giving learners a way to rebuild confidence and competence, it is possible to reverse the trend of declining maths performance and open doors for more South African students to finish school with the skills they need to thrive.

How Numerate works

Numerate uses assessments to identify the exact mathematical concepts each learner has missed all the way back to Grade 1 and builds a personalised learning pathway to close those gaps. Learners work through targeted exercises that adapt to their needs, with immediate feedback and teacher support. The result is a classroom where every student learns at the right level and builds true understanding, without the teacher having to plan 30 different lessons.

For teachers, this means clear data on where each learner is, and how best to help them progress. For learners, it means less frustration, less fear, and more success.

Pushing back against the decline

The decline in maths enrolment and performance isn’t inevitable. It’s a response to a system that pushes learners forward, even when they haven’t mastered the basics. But with the right tools and support, we can change that trajectory.

Programs like Reflective Learning’s Numerate show what’s possible when we meet learners where they are. By identifying and closing gaps, building confidence, and supporting teachers, we can reverse the trend and help more learners not just write maths in their NSC, but excel in it.

If you would like to see how Reflective Learning can help increase quality passes at your school, visit reflective.global/sa/ today to learn more.