Education feature: Laying a firmer school maths foundation

Most of South Africa’s children have already lost three months of formal education due to the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. Children whose parents or caregivers have been able to take on the role of educator may have been able to keep up with the curriculum. But the break in schooling will have had the greatest impact on children who live in poverty – that’s the majority in the country. Craig Pournara, Associate Professor of Mathematics Education, University of the Witwatersrand, shares how the COVID-19 disruption could be a chance to lay a firmer school maths foundation in South Africa. But it will require these three things to be in place.