Surprising ways poor numeracy skills affect our everyday life

"Good numeracy is the best protection against unemployment, low wages and poor health," said Andreas Schleicher, the director for Education and Skills at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in Paris.

To mark National Numeracy Day, which takes place annually on 19 May, Zaheera Soomar, Head of Education for Socio-development and Partnerships at Anglo America, is highlighting the importance of developing adequate numeracy skills.

"Numeracy is all about the usage and application of mathematics skills, whether working out how much money you have left until the end of the month or simply going shopping," Soomar told Parent24.

The Kangan Institute more specifically defined numeracy as "the ability to access, use and interpret and communicate mathematical information and ideas," emphasising its importance in helping individuals develop the logical cognitive skills needed for the problem-solving and reasoning that one does in everyday life.

Simply put, numeracy is a skill that is helpful in multiple areas of everyday life including activities as mundane as reading and following instructions.

South Africa's Numeracy crisis

South Africa has consistently struggled with an issue of poor education, further impacted by a lack of access to reading materials and textbooks in disadvantaged communities.

According to Triple E Training the lack of numeracy skills in South Africa is an "insurmountable obstacle", substantially decreasing the likelihood of finding work or the prospect of advancement above a subsistence-level wage.

Though billions are spent on education in South Africa, less than 6% of students achieved 40% or more in the Annual National Assessments for grade 9 mathematics in 2014.

These numbers are especially worrying considering the strong correlation between numeracy and social issues such as employment and poverty.

"Fact is, numeracy and literacy aren’t just necessary to get a job or earn a salary. They’re critical for the ability of our young people to participate in the world around us."

"Numeracy is a key factor in being able to participate in the economy and our broader society. Without numeracy, people are generally excluded from the very activities which would allow them to forge a meaningful future," Soomar told Parent24.

How poor numeracy affects your physical health

Low numeracy in adults is associated with worsening, health-limiting conditions. Not only are people with low numeracy skills more likely to be depressed than people with higher numeracy skill levels, but low basic skills are associated with poorer health outcomes.

Studies have shown that adults with poor numeracy are 2.5 times more likely to disclose having a long-standing illness or disability.

Chronic illnesses or illnesses such as heart attacks, strokes, osteoporosis, and even diabetes are more likely to occur in poverty-risk populations.

This can also be attributed to the exposure to harmful factors in damaging living and working conditions that can increase risk of disease or impact vital organs due to unnaturally toxic surrounding.

What can we do about it?

First and foremost, it is important to understand the difference between mathematical and numerical skills.

Additionally, more focus needs to be placed on ensuring that school teachers, particularly in primary school, are adequately skilled.

Data on mathematical outcomes, published in 2007, found that grade 6 teachers could not answer questions their learners should be able to answer based on the grade 6 curriculum, and pointed out that "Obviously it is almost impossible to teach what you do not know".

As a result of inadequate teaching skills, school pupils often 'parrot learn' the answers to basic calculations or their multiplication tables without understanding the mathematic reasoning.

"Right now, South Africa is in the midst of a numeracy and literacy crisis – and this comes with significant economic and social costs, especially for those least advantaged in our society," Soomar told Parent24.

"As we rebuild our workforce and create the jobs our economy so desperately needs, addressing the issue of poor numeracy will play a key role in job creation and social upliftment.

"It’s an issue we ignore at our peril."

First published on Parent24.