As South African learners enter the holidays, questions continue to be raised about the quality of education they are receiving. South Africa’s grade 5 and grade 9 learners have again ranked extremely low in the 2023 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). South Africa’s grade 5 learners—who were largely assessed against grade 4 learners from other countries—placed stone last among the 58 nations assessed for both mathematics and science. The grade 9 learners—who were largely assessed
against grade 8 learners from other countries—placed slightly better, ranking fifth- last.