Education, Grantmaking
Strategic funding in maths education
15 April 2010
In an increasing culture of entitlement, opportunities for creating real improvements should go only to those that show determination, passion, commitment and good governance.
Sarah Morrison is a Client Relationship Manager at Tshikululu Social Investments.
We all know that the vast majority of South African children receive a very poor education in maths. They complete their schooling with a weak grasp of basic mathematical concepts, they cannot go on to study maths at university, they are unable to engage with the necessary mathematical concepts in technical subjects at FET Colleges, they struggle in their daily lives to confidently use basic maths tools. In short, they are limited in life choices, career choices and an endless array of decision-making processes because they do not know and cannot apply maths concepts
Because this state applies to bulk of learners, not just a small group, it fundamentally constrains the South African economy. And the depth of the problem is acute – South Africa underperforms in international tests of ability in maths and science well below other developing countries.
For corporate investing in education, there is a recognition that much of what needs to be done to change this failure in the school system lies outside the direct influence of a private company. Certainly, leaders in the business community, if well briefed by advisors, can be strong voices in making the case for urgent reform in the education system. When it comes to investment choices, there is a strong sense that corporate funds have the opportunity and responsibility to make strategic and focused decisions that will leverage the opportunities that exist in the system. Giving money to learners, teachers and schools because they need it is simply not good enough and, in some cases, may even do more harm than good.
In an increasing culture of entitlement, opportunities for creating real improvements should go only to those that show determination, passion, commitment and good governance. Effective corporate investment happens when the beneficiary actively chooses to engage in the opportunities created. And the best type of corporate investment is when the design of those opportunities are co-created between the funder and the recipient, and that are there for an agreed period of time. For example, the schools that are supported by the Epoch and Optima Trusts have to submit detailed plans for implementing and expanding known approaches to teaching and support that they believe from their own experiences are likely to produce improved results. They are held accountable against targets that have been committed to upfront. The reward is that the schools get the flexibility and freedom to each identify the resources and programmes that that particular school needs to improve the quality of maths education.
The schools and NGOs that work to achieve quality maths education have only two common characteristics – they take maths seriously and they have hard working teachers and managers. They continue to be optimistic and swim against the tide, with both teachers and learners prepared to give that special effort and commitment. Increased time contact time after school hours, over weekends and in holidays, lots of homework that is promptly marked, careful planning and participation in third paper maths and advanced programme maths collectively provides the precious commodity of real life choices and career choices.
Corporate South Africa can and should reward those people and organisations that go the extra mile and can show proven results. The lessons from projects that have demonstrated success should be written up, shared and replicated with other donor funding and, even better, with government funding.
Comment posted by Lucy Hlubi
Hi Sarah
Interesting article indeed. I agree that we should reward the teachers, NGOs and schools that put in the hours to make our education system work. We need to acknowledge and reward best practice. The investment that the private sector as well as government have made is ernomous and I really hope that in the next few years, we are going to see some positive changes.
As you are aware, Singapore has done exceptionally well in the Timms assessments. Research has shown that a number of contribute towards this exceptional performance 1) Learners’ attitude towards the subject, 2) educator’s commitment and 3) availability of support material both at school and at home. For the purposes of this email, I will focus on the 1st. We need to run a campaign to make Maths “cool” and attractive to our learners. As Aristotle has said “I think, therefore I am”. A lot of our learners have been made to believe that Maths and Science are difficult. we need to change their mindset. I have a dream to start a movement of young people that believe in themselves and are confident in their abilities. hopefully, I can have my dream realised here at Anglo. I have had this dream for years now. I have worked with young people all my life and I know their struggles. Bob Marley talks about mental slavery, and that we have to emancipate ourselves from it. I hope I can mobilise support towards this cause.
Comment posted by Lucy Hlubi
Sorry, it was Descartes that said “I think therefore I am” and not Aristotle.
Comment posted by Jenni Marwick
I refer to your last paragraph – “projects that have demonstrated success should be shared…” I totally agree. As a volunteer maths teacher at a rural KZN school I would like to know of or have access to schemes that have worked to upgrade the standard of maths. Is there a proven programme in place, either introduced by govn department or private organisations? Learners do not consider maths as an everyday tool, but as another subject they have to endure during the school day. What are we teaching children if it is not to apply learnt skills to equip them for life?
Comment posted by margie owen-smith
Finding a way to break out of our national failing mode in maths and science has been a driving force behind the Home-language Project since its inception 10 years ago.
We have worked with teachers inside failing classrooms, observing at first hand the multitude of factors that make schools dysfunctional and, in particular, make it difficult for learners to grasp basic numeracy/maths concepts.
Most of these factors are now being acknowledged by the DOE and are out in the public domain with some promising action being taken. But there are two key challenges that are still not being recognized.
The first is the need to assist teachers to use effective learner-verbalization techniques. The critical contribution of a metacognitive approach is now well documented and all the latest guidelines tell teachers to get learners to “talk about” concepts and their thinking (how they reached their conclusions etc), but the passive pedagogy which is a feature of failing classrooms makes this very difficult for them.
The second challenge is closely linked. It has to do with two vastly underutilized resources which are in fact readily available in any classroom, viz: the learners’ own language (with the majority being limited to the use of a 2nd language in which they are inadequately proficient) and interactive peer-support methodology.
Both of these resources can be harnessed to excellent effect, even in large and fully multilingual classes, via techniques which are practical and teacher friendly.
Best practice which meets these challenges needs to be incorporated into teacher development programmes along with the key notion that teacher training is only 50% of such programmes, the other half consists of the kind of classroom mentoring that turns theory into behaviour change.