(2017 – 2022)
MIET AFRICA, in partnership with the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education (KZNDoE), and with financial support from the Sanlam Foundation, implemented a Maths Improvement Project in 18 primary schools and eight secondary schools in KwaZulu-Natal from 2017 to 2020. At the end of 2020, the Sanlam Foundation approved the continuation of the support for two additional years, ending in December 2022. In March 2020, the rise of COVID-19 infections in the country led to stringent measures to curb the spread of the virus. Two of the measures viz. the restriction of gatherings and observance of social distancing, directly impacted negatively on normal schooling because of school closures. The programme of support to schools was severely disrupted.
The goal of the project was to improve learner performance in mathematics in all grades through the improvement of teachers’ content knowledge and pedagogy, provision of maths resources to schools, and the promotion of mathematics as a fun subject that all children can succeed in and enjoy. By the end of the project the 18 primary schools and the eight secondary schools were equipped with laptop computers, modems, and data projectors, and their teachers trained in the use of technology to teach technology supported lessons and use virtual communication for training sessions, meetings, and lesson demonstrations. In addition to covering the CAPS content and pedagogy, the project capacitated teachers in teaching for diversity in mathematics and creative use of low-cost resources to teach maths. The primary schools were supported to maximise learner participation in maths games (such as Maths 24), maths fun-day programmes, and Olympiads.
The resources developed during the project and supplied to schools include sets of equipment for the maths fun-day programmes (Foundation Phase), teacher and parent/caregiver guides to implement maths fun day programmes at schools, sets of 12 three-minute maths teaching and learning videos in each of the two main languages in KZN, viz. English and isiZulu, and Maths 24 games. In the final year of the project, the capacity-building was extended to include intermediate and senior phase teachers from more than 50 non-project schools from the Ethekwini schools.
For more information contact Chris Ramdas chris@miet.coza