The Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) is cross-national assessment of the mathematics and science knowledge of fourth Grade and eighth Grade learners. TIMSS was developed by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) to allow participating nations to compare learner educational achievement across borders. TIMSS was first administered in South Africa in 1995, and has continued to be administered in 1999, 2002 and 2011. This publication reports on South Africa's performance in TIMSS 2011 relative to other countries and examines the trends in mathematics and science achievement from 1995 to 2011.
Human Sciences Research Council (2026) studied this question.