Addressing SDG 4 via Learners’ Prior Numerical Cognition: a Predictor of Educational Performance in a Developing Country in Sub-Saharan Africa

This research examines sustainable development goals (SDG 4) via learners’ prior numerical cognition as a predictor of educational performance. While SDG 4 seeks to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all”, most member states, particularly developing countries like South Africa are faced with the challenge of addressing one of the targets of SDG 4, which is ensuring “that all youth and a substantial proportion of adults, both men and women, achieve literacy and numeracy” by 2030. In ensuring a substantial proportion of adults achieving numeracy by 2030, this research addresses SDG 4 by examining pre-service teachers’ prior mathematical cognition, ease of learning (fluency), mathematics concepts acquisition and inappropriate instruction as predictors of quality educational performance in South Africa. As with fluency, how past underperformance in primary school due to poor instruction influenced current underperformance in higher education remains a point for debate. Against the backdrop of ensuring a substantial proportion of adults achieving numeracy, the study administered 71 structured questionnaires to rural school learners. At p<0.05, multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) revealed that the underperformance of learners in numeracy at primary schools is associated with inappropriate preparatory practices, as well as poor mathematical cognition in their higher education. Learners’ performance at their various educational levels is significantly dependent on their prior mathematical skills at primary schools.