One in three students failing maths – expert says the system is to blame
Australia’s maths crisis is not a mystery. It’s a system failure.
New analysis from CQUniversity Adjunct Senior Lecturer in Education Dr Ragnar Purje argues that mathematics – one of the most stable and universal disciplines in human history – has remained unchanged for thousands of years.
So why are one in three Australian students still falling behind?
“Mathematics is, has always been, and continues to be an unchanging universal truth,” Dr Purje said.
“When a discipline as stable as mathematics begins to struggle at the level of pedagogy, the cause is not within the discipline itself, but within the systems and choices that now surround it.”
A crisis hiding in plain sight
The latest national data shows a confronting reality: around one-third of students are still not meeting expected numeracy standards – and that hasn’t changed in years.
For Dr Purje, the word “still” is the most damning.
It signals not a temporary dip but a chronic, systemic failure.
“We have reformed curricula, introduced new technologies and shifted teaching philosophies,” he said.
“But mathematics itself has not changed. So we must ask what has?”
What we’ve lost
Dr Purje points to a stark historical contrast.
He says Ancient Greek scholars from Pythagoras to Euclid did not succeed because maths was easier, but because their systems of learning were disciplined, explicit and grounded in logic and proof.
Students were given time to think deeply, practise rigorously and pursue mastery.
Today, he argues, that clarity has been replaced by fragmentation.
“We’ve moved away from precision, structure and disciplined thinking – the very foundations that make mathematics learnable.”
“The evidence is unambiguous, the contrast is stark, and the conclusion is unavoidable: if one-third of students continue to fall short, we must – as noted by the Grattan Institute – finally focus on how maths is taught.”
So what actually works?
Dr Purje’s research – including his Responsibility Theory NeuroNumeracy framework – suggests the solution is not more reform, but better alignment with how humans actually learn.
His work consistently identifies five key shifts:
- Bring back explicit, structured teaching with clear sequencing and worked examples
- Reinstate repetition as a cornerstone of learning to build mastery
- Make students active participants in their learning through responsibility and mindset
- Combine conceptual understanding with procedural fluency
- Create environments that support focus, not distraction
From “I hate maths” to “I love maths”
For students, the impact is immediate – and lasting.
In classroom trials of Dr Purje’s approach, students moved from struggling with basic numeracy to solving problems confidently – often within weeks – while also reporting a complete change in attitude.
A national turning point
With education ministers and curriculum authorities under increasing pressure, the question is no longer whether change is needed but how long it will be delayed.
Dr Purje says Australia now faces a clear choice: continue adjusting around the edges or confront the core issue.
“If one-third of students are failing, that is not a student problem,” he said.
“That is a system problem.”
And unless that system changes, the consequences will extend far beyond the classroom – into workforce readiness, productivity and national capability.
