Publications

The impact of the extended closure of schools is a global concern. Associate professor of maths education at Wits University Craig Pournara thinks the pandemic could be the unexpected catalyst to get maths learning on the right track.

In South Africa, when Grade 9 learners return to school after the COVID-19 closures, they will have a maximum of 76 teaching days left in 2020. But given the safety requirements and the limited infrastructure in most schools, it’s highly unlikely that they will be able to attend school every day. This means the average Grade 9 learner in 2020 is likely to have less than half of a normal year’s time in class.