A Comparative Study of the Negative Effects of COVID-19 on Curriculum Delivery and Learning Outcomes of Grade 12 Learners in Capricorn South District, Limpopo Province

Abstract

On 11 March 2020, the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared COVID-19 a global pandemic, triggering widespread disruption in education. This study examined the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Grade 12 learner performance across selected schools, focusing on Mathematics, Mathematical Literacy, English First Additional Language (FAL), and Home Language. The analysis compared pre-COVID-19 results (2018–2019) with performance during and after the pandemic period (2020–2022) to determine whether significant differences existed. A quantitative approach was employed, and comparative statistical analysis, including Chi-square testing, was used to assess variations in the four selected subjects outcomes across the specified years. Anchored by the theoretical lens of COVID-19 -related conspiracy narratives and learning theories, the study adopted a Mixed Methods Research (MMR) design within an exploratory sequential approach. Quantitative data were collected through a comparative analysis of the summarised Grade 12 National Senior Certificate (NSC) academic school records of the selected subjects from 2018–2019 (pre-pandemic) and 2020–2021 (pandemic), complemented by structured teacher questionnaires. Qualitative data were generated through in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, and field observations to capture teachers’ experiences, pedagogical adaptations, and challenges during the pandemic. The sample comprised 48 teachers from eight selected schools, 24 from urban and 24 from rural contexts who taught four subjects selected for the study. Quantitative data were analysed using chi-square tests on a questionnaire opinion survey and summarised school academic records to identify any differences in teaching and learning dynamics and academic performance across the four years period, while qualitative data underwent thematic analysis to elucidate patterns in curriculum delivery and intervention strategies The main study findings revealed that learner performance was relatively stable and consistent during the pre-pandemic years, while notable fluctuations and declines were observed during the COVID-19 period, particularly in numerically intensive subjects. Mathematics was the most affected subject, demonstrating significant declines during the 2020-2021 pandemic, while the language subjects displayed some resilience, with comparatively smaller declines during the peak pandemic years. This suggests that reduced face-to-face instruction, limited learner–teacher interaction, digital inequalities, and inconsistent access to learning resources contributed to the noted decline in academic outcomes. The comparison between rural and urban schools revealed significant contextual differences in the impact of COVID-19, with rural schools being disproportionately affected due to limited access to digital infrastructure, unreliable internet connectivity, and learners’ inability to afford data or technological devices. Precisely, urban schools showed higher improvement from 75% high performance (6/8) in the pre-COVID era to 100% (8/8) during COVID-19. However, statistically, this shift yielded a p-value of .467, indicating the change was not significant at the 95% confidence level. Rural schools improved from 37.5% high performance (3/8) pre-COVID to 62.5% (5/8) during COVID-19. Despite this visible increase, the p-value of .619 confirms the difference is not statistically significant. While the mean performance of Urban schools (M = 78.7%) remained higher than that of Rural schools (M = 65.0%), the independent samples t-test indicated that the difference in means was not statistically significant (p = .32). An important qualitative dimension of the study was the psychological impact of COVID-19 on educators. Teachers reported fears related to personal safety, family wellbeing, curriculum completion, and matric performance outcomes. The uncertainty and rapidly changing regulations contributed to stress, reduced morale, and emotional strain. In conclusion, the study therefore recommends the implementation of structured academic recovery programmes, with targeted remedial interventions, especially in numerical subjects, strengthened blended learning models, enhanced teacher training in digital pedagogy, and improved access to technological resources to mitigate future disruptions and reduce educational inequalities.