Profiling parental factors contributing to high school dropouts in Tshifudi Village, Limpopo Province, South Africa

Abstract

Since the beginning of post-apartheid administration in South Africa, education has become a very active field of research and a prominent concern of policy. The government took radical measures and has given numerous supports such that access to basic education is no longer an issue. Despite these supports, there is an annual upsurge of high school dropouts, especially in the rural areas. Unfortunately, the root causes of this dilemma have not been dealt with in sufficient amount. This study used a participatory approach through a mixed method to fill the gap. The process of enquiry followed a two-stage approach. 18 dropouts were determined using snowball through a key informant of one-on-one interviews in the first phase while 118 Grade 12 students participated in the second phase of the study. Parents’ poor supervision and academic support, stereotype on female education, parents’ separation, mockery over the failure of their children, parents’ eagerness to be supported by their children, and rape by parent and relatives are the major parental causes. The study recommends that parents should be sensitized while government should take a radical measure on high school rape and female stereotype.

Keywords: aged parents, high school dropouts, influence, rural area, young people