Why teach Mathematical Literacy?

This is one very difficult question as there are several and conflicting views nationally and internationally on what it really means to be mathematically literate. From the South African schools perspective, Math Lit is taken as an inferior math that should be taken by those who are not that capable of doing pure/core math. This is an unconscious view prevalent in most schools and even departmental officials.

The truth is, this is not an easy math, but an alternative math approach. If one looks at the LO's and AS's in NCS, it is evident that this just another mathematics equally difficult and at the same level of academic and citizen expectations, just like the one doing core math.

I therefore believe that a paradigm shift is needed to both learners and educators (DoE officials included) so as not to take math lit as a mediocre subject for the under perfomers. By continuing to undermine this invlauabe subject, we would actually be underining the greatest initiative taken by the South African government to prepare numerically, finacially, spacially and financially responsible citizens.

I think debate and awareness on what is the envisaged learner and future citizen should be the direction of debate, not to just push to math or math lit without careful guidance from grade 10. Career guidance should be a way to go so as not to dump or force in or out learners into math lit.

We need to debate this further, hence your comments are welcomed!