Facts on Dropouts in South Africa
Here are some of the facts on dropouts in South Africa.
High Rate of Dropout by Grade 12
The rate at which children dropout from the schools in South Africa before reaching 12th Grade is very high. According to The Department of Basic Education the number of students who enrolled for 10th Grade in 2014 was 1,100,877. However, there was the reduction in the number of enrolments to 610,178 in the year 2016 for 12th Grade. These numbers indicate that about 44.6% of children have either dropped out from schools or were unable to clear their 11th and 12th Grade.
This scenario is common in all provinces of the country with a shocking rate of 54.4% in Northern Cape.
Speculations about Culling
There have been speculations that in order to improve the pass rate, schools are adhering to culling. In this case students who are underperformers are forced to leave the school or they are held back so that the pass rate is good. So, there has been a call for investigation by The Department of Basic Education to find out if the students are really becoming a victim of culling.
Causes for Dropouts in South Africa
The most compelling reason for children dropping out from schools in South Africa was the financial problems. The highest number of students dropped out of school due to lack of money. The second highest number of students who dropped out of school is because of their underperformance in academics. The third most compelling reason for children to dropout from the schools is family obligations like taking care of children, getting married, pregnancy etc. The fourth most compelling reason for children dropping out from school is the lack of awareness about the importance of education. Such children leave school as they are not aware how important it is to attend school for having a secure future.
