The problem statement

• There is low and highly varied mathematics achievement throughout the educational system
• There is considerable grade repetition in schools and many youth exit the system prematurely
• We do not know enough about how learners move through the education system and in and out of education and into the labour market

The South African Youth Panel Study

• SAYPS a longitudinal panel study, commenced in 2011.
• SAYPS targeted learners from Grade 9 who took part in TIMSS 2011. This formed Wave 1 of the panel
• Further annual waves of information were collected in 2012, 2013, 2014 and, recently, 2015, providing five waves of individual data tracking learners from Grade 9, average age 15