Neelam Rahim | neelam@radioislam.co.za
3-minute read | 14 August 2025 | 14:02 CAT

📸 The choice between pure maths and maths literacy shapes future careers and South Africa’s future workforce.

South Africa is quietly losing its next generation of engineers, scientists, and innovators as more high school learners abandon pure mathematics in favour of mathematical literacy — a trend most visible in under-resourced schools.

Education specialist Dr. Muavia Gallie has been sounding the alarm for years. “In 2018, 44% of learners took maths. Six years later, that figure dropped to 36.2%. If we lose another 8% in the next six years, we’ll be at just 28% and from there, it only spirals downward,” he warns.

Dr. Gallie, a curriculum designer, says this is not just a numbers game but a systemic issue. “Our mathematical teaching in South Africa is broken. It’s not our teachers, it’s the system. Teachers have largely been trained to get learners to find the answer, not understand the reasoning. The moment a question is framed differently, learners struggle.”

The introduction of mathematical literacy, he explains, was never meant to replace pure maths. Originally intended as “commercial maths” dealing with percentages, rates, and other practical applications, it became a political tool to reduce failure rates. “Mathematical literacy is not an option of mathematics. It’s a commerce subject, not a mathematical one,” he stresses.

The consequences are severe. Learners who choose maths literacy limit their options for university courses in science, engineering, technology, and even certain commerce fields. “Mathematics is more than a subject it’s a life skill. It develops creative thinking, problem-solving, and the ability to understand complex concepts. Even to deeply engage with the Qur’an’s scientific dimensions, you need mathematical understanding,” Dr. Gallie notes.

He calls for urgent, systemic reform, insisting that the problem can be solved within three to five years without foreign intervention. “We have the capacity in our country. What we lack is confidence and the political will to act,” he says. Encouragingly, the recent public debate has sparked interest from education officials.

Parents, Dr. Gallie argues, have a critical role to play. “Insist on pure maths for your children and support them. Understand that the challenges they face are not about their ability, but about how they are taught.”

As South Africa edges closer to a skills shortage crisis, the choice between pure maths and maths literacy is no longer an individual decision. It is a national concern.

Listen to the full interview on The Daily Round-Up with Moulana Junaid Kharsany and Dr. Muavia Gallie.