Over 470 public schools in South Africa do not offer mathematics

Several hundred public schools in South Africa do not offer critical STEM subjects to matric learners, with 476 not offering mathematics, putting learners at a disadvantage for future studies and employment.

This was revealed by Minister of Basic Education Siviwe Gwarube in a written response to Build One South Africa leader and Member of Parliament (MP) Musi Maimane.

In light of matric learners across the country beginning the final National Senior Certificate (NSC) exams on Monday, Maimane asked the minister how many of these schools contribute to distinctions in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) subjects.

For instance, 6,447 schools in the country offer maths as a subject, with 2,763 contributing to distinctions in the 2024 NSC exams.

Similarly, 6,071 schools offered Physical Science in 2024, with 2,023 contributing to the distinctions received.

However, Gwarube highlighted that it is important to note that several hundred schools don’t offer these critical STEM subjects.

Of the 6,933 public schools in South Africa, 482 (6.95%) don’t offer Mathematics, 859 (12.39%) don’t provide Physical Science, 2,622 (37.82%) don’t offer Accounting, and 2,988 (43.1%) don’t offer Economics.

“This situation exposes a broader structural problem within our education system: inequity in access, misalignment of teacher skills with subject needs, and insufficient investment in resources,” Maimane said.

“Without these foundational STEM and commerce subjects, many learners are effectively barred from pursuing tertiary education in high-demand fields, limiting both their personal opportunities and the country’s ability to build a skilled workforce.”

Gwarube explained that 28% of schools that offer Mathematics (1,787) accounted for 90% of the 9,720 distinctions received by learners for the subject.

In contrast, 975 schools contributed to the remaining 10% of distinctions. Likewise, 28% of schools offering Physical Science accounted for 90% of distinctions, while 9% contributed the remaining 10%.

“The fact that a small share of schools contributes 90% of distinctions partly reflects inequalities in school performance but also partly reflects the disproportionate contribution of larger schools,” Gwarube said.

Maimane added that for South Africa to thrive in the 21st century, “every child, regardless of their postal code, must have the opportunity to master the subjects that underpin innovation, entrepreneurship, and economic progress.”

The importance of STEM subjects

According to a study by researchers at the Tshwane University of Technology, titled Inclusive STEM education to fight poverty and inequality: The case of South Africa, economies in the 21st century are heavily dependent on the advancement of STEM for industrialisation and job creation.

“Improvements in STEM education drive economic growth, foster innovative and sustainable solutions to address human needs, and enable individuals to influence their futures,” it says, referencing another study.

This unequal representation is also regarded as a hindrance to South Africa’s transformation goals, as the unequal representation of historically disadvantaged students in STEM careers within South Africa’s public universities has significant consequences.

“Not only does it hinder their ability to participate in the 4th Industrial Revolution, but it also prevents the development of economic and technical solutions tailored to their unique needs,” the researchers argue.

“This results in a substantial portion of the population being excluded from 21st-century technological advancements.”

To highlight the lack of inclusiveness within the field, the researchers compared the participation rate of Black, Coloured, Indian/Asian, and White South Africans between the ages of 18 and 29 in STEM fields.

Since 2002, Black participation in the field has increased from 2.9% to 5.3% in 2021. Similarly, Coloured participation remains below 10%, having grown from 3.6% in 2002 to 6.2% in 2021.

Indian and Asian participation grew from 12.8% to 16.2%, while White participation saw the largest percentage point increase, from 15.5% to 24.6%.

The researchers also argue that not only do STEM jobs provide higher earning potential, but they also exhibit lower unemployment rates than non-STEM jobs.

Statistics South Africa revealed in June 2025 that youth unemployment — the rate for South Africans between the ages of 15 and 34 — sat at 45%.