Statistics on the standard of maths education and performance in South Africa schools has been a cause for concern for many years, with the latest research revealing that grade nine learners who wrote the 2014 Annual National Assessment (ANA) for maths scored an average of 10.8%, while only 3% achieved more than 50%.

The ANSWER Series (TAS), creators and publishers of high school study guides, hopes to address our country’s maths crisis by launching the #PassRateChallenge, a series of grade nine maths study guides that are set to change pass rates for the better.

“Grade 9 is a turning point for teenagers. By supporting learners in Maths at this early level, there is a far greater likelihood that they will make fitting subject choices, remain in school and go on to be successful in matric. This will improve their chances of qualifying for further education thus making a positive and significant contribution to the national economy” explains George Eadie from TAS.

TAS has seen a significant amount of success and improvement among the schools and learners it has distributed to since its inception in 1979. Together with Provincial Education Departments in Limpopo and the Eastern Cape, TAS has provided free study guides to two underperforming schools, Shayandima Secondary School and Reuben Ntuli Secondary School over the last five years. Since then, the matric pass rates of each school have improved drastically from 18% to 84% and 30% to 96.6% respectively.

To start the #PassRateChallenge off, TAS is currently raising funds on Thundafund to provide at least 20 000 grade nine learners in 500 schools with a maths study guide.

Although the campaign’s ultimate goal is R1 million, it needs R4 695 to reach its R100 000 tipping point before Friday, which will make sure TAS receives all funds contributed and can provide study guides to 2 000 learners in 15 priority schools.

Want to help #PassRateChallenge get to the next stage of funding? Click here.

[Image – YouTube]