Special challenges in mathematics education in Sub Sahara Africa

Educational difficulties in mathematics education in Africa are diverse. Research shows that the challenges experienced in mathematics education are a by-product of those in education in general, and these span from policy, curriculum, instruction, learning, and information technology to infrastructure. Earlier commissioned studies by the World Bank revealed that there is a growing recognition that countries in sub-Saharan Africa (n = 48) need to improve their performance in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics subjects if they were to grasp their full latent potential in a competitive global market that is increasingly shaped by the new technologically dependent world order. This study endeavors to document recently identified special challenges in mathematics education in Africa revealed in research over the past two years. Fifty-eight articles were reviewed, of which seven papers provide annotation of major findings of outstanding interest.

Automated summary

Educational difficulties in mathematics education in Africa are diverse and span from policy, curriculum, instruction, learning, and information technology to infrastructure. Research shows that improving performance in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics subjects is crucial for African countries to tap into their full potential in a competitive global market.