Abstract
This study explores how Life Sciences teaching and learning occur within township and suburban schools in South Africa, where historical and structural inequalities continue to shape educational experiences. Using a mixed-methods design, quantitative data were collected from 173 learners and 52 teachers through structured questionnaires, while qualitative data were generated through teacher focus group interviews and classroom observations. Exploratory Factor Analysis identified five key learner-experience factors: Family Support, Resource Access, Language Proficiency, Textbooks at Home, and Teacher/Textbook Support. Language Proficiency showed the strongest correlation with achievement, followed by Family Support and Resource Access. Qualitative findings revealed a contextual contrast: township schools faced overcrowding, severe resource shortages, and linguistic barriers, while suburban schools benefited from well-equipped laboratories, digital tools, and stable socio-economic environments. Teachers’ pedagogical decisions were shaped by these contextual conditions, influencing the feasibility of inquiry-based learning and the degree of learner participation. In addition, integrating the findings indicates that Life Sciences learning is deeply shaped by systemic inequalities, with learners in township schools experiencing constrained, teacher-centred, and language-challenged environments, while suburban learners engage in resource-rich, interactive, and linguistically supportive settings. Therefore, the study concludes that equitable Life Sciences teaching and learning requires targeted interventions in resource provision, language-integrated pedagogy, context-responsive professional development, and cross-school collaboration. These findings have implications for policy, teacher education, and efforts to redress persistent disparities in South African science education.