Skip to main content
Category

Focus Areas

RESEP developed around a long-term research focus on issues of poverty, income distribution, social mobility, economic development and social policy. However, content such as research publications, working papers, or policy briefs is generally categorised under our four areas, namely Education, Health, Labour or Development.

Addressing spatial inequalities in early grade literacy

This study investigates whether the quality of school-based assessment (SBA) influences matriculation performance in Mathematics within quintile 1 to 3 schools in Limpopo, South Africa. It builds on previous literature that identified poor schools in Limpopo excelling in Mathematics achievement at the matriculation level.

Read More
February 3, 2026 By: Julian Golmann PDF

Learning pathways and system performance in South Afican schools

This study investigates whether the quality of school-based assessment (SBA) influences matriculation performance in Mathematics within quintile 1 to 3 schools in Limpopo, South Africa. It builds on previous literature that identified poor schools in Limpopo excelling in Mathematics achievement at the matriculation level.

Read More
December 30, 2025 By: Servaas van der Berg, Heleen Hofmeyr, Chris van Wyk, Bianca Böhmer, Ros Clayton and Rebecca Selkirk PDF

How home language mastery predicts early learning outcomes

This study investigates whether the quality of school-based assessment (SBA) influences matriculation performance in Mathematics within quintile 1 to 3 schools in Limpopo, South Africa. It builds on previous literature that identified poor schools in Limpopo excelling in Mathematics achievement at the matriculation level.

Read More
December 12, 2025 By: Ros Clayton PDF

Resep hosts the 9th Annual QER Conference (26-27 August 2025)

From 21-22 August 2024, Resep hosted its 8th annual Quantitative Education Research (QER) conference at STIAS, Stellenbosch. Among the more than 100 attendees were academics, students, government officials, NGOs representatives and other stakeholders. Speakers, chairs and participants collectively provided an overview of key trends in South African education and profiled new research. In this synopsis of the 2-day programme, some key insights across all presentations are considered under eight emerging conference themes.

Read More
September 18, 2025 By: Gabrielle WillsGabrielle Wills PDF

Linguistic interdependence? Foundation Phase mastery in home language as a predictor of grade 4 repetition and EFAL marks

For most South African learners, the destination language of instruction (typically English) is not their mother tongue; thus, proficiency in English is necessary for educational success. However, research has shown that development of linguistic skills is more effective in the mother tongue, and that these skills can be transferred to a second language (especially when high levels of proficiency are reached in the first language).

Read More
February 6, 2025 By: Ros Clayton PDF

The impact of the 2023 Back-on-Track Programme on learning

The 2023 Back-on-Track (BoT) programme, launched by the Western Cape Education Department (WCED), aimed to address significant learning deficits caused by the COVID-19 pandemic over a period of three years. This R1.2 billion initiative targeted improvements in mathematics and language through interventions for learners and teachers in grades 4, 7, and 8. Using Systemic Tests and School-Based Assessments (SBAs), this evaluation assesses the programme’s impact on grade 4 and grade 7 learners.

Read More
February 6, 2025 By: Chloé van Biljon, Chris van Wyk, Servaas van der BergChloé van Biljon, Chris van Wyk and Servaas van der Berg PDF