Responding to “critical diagnostic data” provided by the Annual National Assessment (ANA) tool, which was introduced in 2010 to evaluate the standard of education in South Africa, President Jacob Zuma has acknowledged low levels of academic performance in mathematics, noting that it had been identified as an area of educational weakness.

“Mathematics is still a serious challenge in this country. Swift remedial actions will, therefore, be undertaken with regard to the problematic levels so that we create a healthy feeder for our tertiary education system.

“[The ANA allows us to develop] targeted interventions in these areas and topics which are problematic, so that there can be improvement going forward,” he told a Presidential Golf Challenge breakfast meeting, in Pretoria, on Thursday.

Upon ANA’s introduction, government’s target was that at least 60% of learners in Grade 3, 6 and 9 should have achieved “acceptable” levels of competency in language and mathematics.

While noting that, three years down the line, there was “improvement overall”, there remained a need for remedial action in some areas.

According to Zuma, the ANA results indicated visible improvement in mathematics and languages in the foundation and intermediate phases over the last three years.

In Grade 3 the proportion of learners achieving 50% or above for mathematics improved from 36% in 2012 to 65% in 2014.

At Grade 6 level 35% of learners achieved over 50% for mathematics, which, though an improvement from 11% in 2012, needed to be sustained upwards to reach government’s 60% target.

“In Grade 9, there is just a very modest growth from 2% to 3% and, thanks to the ANA as a monitoring tool, this presents an obvious area of intervention,” Zuma said.

Considerable improvements had, meanwhile, been made in languages, he outlined,

“Therefore, our targets of at least 60% of learners achieving acceptable levels of performance have been exceeded in both language and Mathematics at Grade 3 level.

“At Grade 6 level, the target has been exceeded in home language, but not in mathematics,” Zuma asserted.

Government would, he pledged, continue to invest in education to provide learners with an international competitive advantage and create the required skills necessary for the success of the National Development Plan.

It also continued to roll out communication infrastructure to enable learners to equip themselves with the best information technology learning skills.

Zuma added that the impending release of the matric results would once again provide government with the opportunity to evaluate and “robustly reflect” on its progress with regard to improving education.

“The results will no doubt indicate that we are hard at work to improve our education system and our efforts inspire much hope [rather] than despair,” he commented.

Zuma emphasised that government had mounted various programmes, many of which involved partnerships and collaboration with other sectors, to improve the quality of education in South Africa.

He added, however, that education could not be the sole responsibility of government.

“I am emphasising to you that we are hard at work to gradually improve the education system and outcomes. In this way we are building a better future for our country and our children,” Zuma concluded.