Abstract:
This study investigated the poor performance of learners in mathematics in a rural
secondary schools in Bohlabela District in Mpumalanga province. Mathematics is
one of the most critical subjects globally and in Mpumalanga Province of South
Africa, specifically. The purpose of this study was to explore the possible causes of
poor performance of learners in mathematics in schools. In this study, non-probability
sampling was used whereby a purposive sampling strategy was adopted. The
participants in this study were secondary school teachers and learners. Twenty
mathematics (20) learners participated in this research. These learners were
sampled from a pool of 54 Grade 12 learners in one school. Learners were then
grouped according to their level of understanding to the subject. The focus was on
Grade 12 because it is the exit point of FET.
In this study, a case study approach was adopted whereby interviews, documents
and observation were used to collect data. The choice of the research design was
guided by the following research question: What are the causes of poor performance
of Grade 12 learners in mathematics in rural secondary schools? The sub–questions
were: What strategies do teachers use to address poor performance of learners in
mathematics in Grade 12 in rural secondary schools? What is the role of the
department of education in addressing poor performance of learners in mathematics
in rural secondary schools? The data analysis involved the generating of themes
related to the data collected. In this way, different parts of the narratives were
grouped under identified categories. The study found that lack of resources, poor
teaching methods, anxiety and attitude towards mathematics contribute to learners’
poor performance in mathematics in Grade 12 in rural secondary schools. The
research concludes that teachers should engage learners in more writing activities in
order for them to learn effectively and to perform better in mathematics. The study
also recommends that teachers should use a variety of teaching methods to teach
mathematics and the schools should be well-resourced and teachers should address
learners’ anxiety in mathematics to develop the love for mathematics and also
enhance positive attitude towards mathematics
