South African Students Rank Last Globally in Mathematics and Science, TIMSS 2023 Reports

According to the 2023 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), South African students have ranked last globally in both mathematics and science. The study assessed learners from 59 countries, and despite South Africa entering older students—grade 5 learners for the fourth-grade test and grade 9 learners for the eighth-grade test—their scores remained the lowest.

South Africa recorded average scores of 362 in mathematics and 308 in science, which are significantly below the international averages of 503 and 494, respectively. In contrast, Singapore topped the rankings with scores of 615 in mathematics and 607 in science.

Dr. Reginah Mhaule, Deputy Minister of Basic Education, commented on the disappointing results, stating, "The TIMSS results reflect the realities of our education system. While there are pockets of progress, the overall outcomes show that foundational literacy and numeracy are areas where we must urgently focus our efforts." She highlighted government initiatives, including structured lesson plans and early-grade reading programs, aimed at addressing these educational gaps over time.

Mark Chetty, Director for National Assessments, noted that TIMSS serves as a diagnostic tool to assess South Africa's global standing and identify critical areas needing intervention. Despite the inclusion of older students in the tests, South Africa's results were significantly lower than those of the next-lowest performer, Kuwait, which scored 382 in mathematics and 373 in science.

Dr. Mhaule acknowledged systemic issues contributing to the poor performance, citing resource disparities and overcrowded classrooms as significant factors affecting educational outcomes.