Western Cape's Grade 3 learners set record results in Mathematics and Language

The Western Cape Education Department has made a significant leap towards improving early education quality through its #BackOnTrack programme, with Grade 3 learners achieving their highest annual systemic test results for Mathematics and Language ever.

Recent annual systemic test results for Grade 3 learners in Mathematics and Language have reached unprecedented heights, showcasing a commendable turnaround for the region's education system.

Since the inception of the programme in 2021, the Mathematics pass rate for Grade 3 learners has surged by an impressive 17.7 percentage points, climbing from a lowly 44.3% to an encouraging 62.0%.

Education MEC David Maynier said similarly, the Language pass rate has seen a substantial rise of 14.3 percentage points, moving from 36.9% to 51.2%.

He added these statistics reveal not only a recovery from the pre-Covid-19 pandemic levels but also the highest figures ever recorded since these standardized tests were introduced. Such progress indicates that more children in the province can now read and calculate effectively, significantly improving their prospects for thriving in higher grades and pursuing successful careers post-school.

At the heart of this initiative is a structured approach to language education, which began as a pilot programme in 2021 across 50 schools and is set for full implementation across all primary institutions by the end of 2024.

Maynier said teachers in Grades 1 to 3 have received specialised training focused on the science of reading, supplemented by comprehensive support materials to enhance classroom instruction.

"In 2025, over 91 000 Grade 3 learners wrote the independently administered annual systemic tests for Mathematics and Language," Maynier said.

"These tests produce data vital to understanding which skills our learners are mastering, and which areas need additional work. Schools receive detailed reports that they can use to adapt their teaching and support for their learners.

"These results would not have been possible without our incredible Foundation Phase teachers. You have shown up in your numbers for additional training, and made excellent use of the support we have provided.

The department said it has also launched a pilot intervention to support numeracy across all Foundation Phase teachers and learners in the Western Cape. 

As part of the pilot, all Grade 1 teachers at 70 schools from across the province received training this month.

A full rollout with training for the remaining Grade 1 teachers in the province will follow next year, and is planned to cover the full Foundation Phase over the next 3 years.

The pilot phase will reach 225 teachers, while the total Foundation Phase rollout will ultimately see training provided to approximately 10 000 teachers across 3 languages. 

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Cape Argus