Heterogeneity in South African classrooms

In the context of South Africa, this research brief examines the extent of learning variation in classrooms – referred to here as “within-class heterogeneity”. We find substantial differences in academic achievement among learners in the same grade within a school, and even within the same class. In primary schools, COVID-19 disruptions appear to be associated with increased within-class heterogeneity in reading and mathematics achievement, whereas in secondary schools, within-class heterogeneity in mathematics did not rise between pre- and post-pandemic assessments. Although highly mixed-ability classrooms pose instructional challenges, the level of within-class heterogeneity observed in South Africa is comparable to, or in some cases lower than, that found in other middle-income countries. These findings highlight the need for instructional strategies that support differentiated teaching to meet learners’ diverse proficiency levels.