Quality Learning Project (QLP) 2004 Mathematics educator: South Africa - National study

Owing primarily to financial considerations, data collection could not take place in all the schools. Thus a sampling strategy was adopted based on the following considerations: Information had to be obtained from all districts participating in the QLP, thus all districts were included. A representative sample of schools had to be selected from each district, thus schools were selected in proportion to the total number participating in the QLP. The data collected should enable reporting and analysis at school level, therefore a random sample of learners across the targeted grades and learning areas was selected. Based on the above requirements, a sample of 20% was deemed both adequate and cost efficient for obtaining representative information from schools across the 17 districts. Thus, 102 schools were selected to participate in the surveys and learner assessment component. Schools were selected proportionally using school size and matriculation results as sampling criteria. The matriculation results were used since the aims of the QLP focus primarily on the improvement of 'low performing schools' as defined by the matriculation results published by the National Department of Education (2000).