Understanding Why Youth Drop Out of School in South Africa

Rachana Desai; Ansuyah Magan; Robert A.C. Ruiter; Priscilla S. Reddy; Liesbeth A.G. Mercken

doi:10.1177/21582440231219080

Understanding Why Youth Drop Out of School in South Africa

Rachana Desai, Ansuyah Magan, Robert A.C. Ruiter, Priscilla S. Reddy, Liesbeth A.G. Mercken

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

Abstract
Out of school youth (OSY) are adolescents who have not completed their schooling and are not currently enrolled in school. This study sought to understand why learners drop out of school by interviewing 41 OSY (aged 13–20 years). Respondent Driven Sampling was used to recruit OSY. Content analysis was used to analyze the data. Gender differences were found in the reasons for leaving school. Males dropped out due to poor school performance, vocational aspirations, and social interactions at school. Females dropped out due to family-related reasons. In males and females, friends played a role in students dropping out of school. Participants who performed well academically left school to be with their OSY friends. Those who did not pass and had friends who progressed to the next grade also dropped out of school. Preventing students from early school leaving involves targeting the interpersonal, school and policy levels with gender-specific intervention.

Original language	English
Article number	21582440231219080
Number of pages	10
Journal	SAGE Open
Volume	14
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440231219080
Publication status	Published - 1 Jan 2024

Keywords

South Africa
Out of school youth
Qualitative
School dropout

Access to Document

10.1177/21582440231219080Licence: CC BY

Cite this

@article{190d3cefd93f48449a4fe739891dff32,

title = "Understanding Why Youth Drop Out of School in South Africa",

abstract = "AbstractOut of school youth (OSY) are adolescents who have not completed their schooling and are not currently enrolled in school. This study sought to understand why learners drop out of school by interviewing 41 OSY (aged 13–20 years). Respondent Driven Sampling was used to recruit OSY. Content analysis was used to analyze the data. Gender differences were found in the reasons for leaving school. Males dropped out due to poor school performance, vocational aspirations, and social interactions at school. Females dropped out due to family-related reasons. In males and females, friends played a role in students dropping out of school. Participants who performed well academically left school to be with their OSY friends. Those who did not pass and had friends who progressed to the next grade also dropped out of school. Preventing students from early school leaving involves targeting the interpersonal, school and policy levels with gender-specific intervention.",

keywords = "South Africa, Out of school youth, Qualitative, School dropout",

author = "Rachana Desai and Ansuyah Magan and Ruiter, {Robert A.C.} and Reddy, {Priscilla S.} and Mercken, {Liesbeth A.G.}",

year = "2024",

month = jan,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1177/21582440231219080",

language = "English",

volume = "14",

journal = "SAGE Open",

issn = "2158-2440",

publisher = "SAGE Publications Inc.",

number = "1",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Understanding Why Youth Drop Out of School in South Africa

AU - Desai, Rachana

AU - Magan, Ansuyah

AU - Ruiter, Robert A.C.

AU - Reddy, Priscilla S.

AU - Mercken, Liesbeth A.G.

PY - 2024/1/1

Y1 - 2024/1/1

N2 - AbstractOut of school youth (OSY) are adolescents who have not completed their schooling and are not currently enrolled in school. This study sought to understand why learners drop out of school by interviewing 41 OSY (aged 13–20 years). Respondent Driven Sampling was used to recruit OSY. Content analysis was used to analyze the data. Gender differences were found in the reasons for leaving school. Males dropped out due to poor school performance, vocational aspirations, and social interactions at school. Females dropped out due to family-related reasons. In males and females, friends played a role in students dropping out of school. Participants who performed well academically left school to be with their OSY friends. Those who did not pass and had friends who progressed to the next grade also dropped out of school. Preventing students from early school leaving involves targeting the interpersonal, school and policy levels with gender-specific intervention.

AB - AbstractOut of school youth (OSY) are adolescents who have not completed their schooling and are not currently enrolled in school. This study sought to understand why learners drop out of school by interviewing 41 OSY (aged 13–20 years). Respondent Driven Sampling was used to recruit OSY. Content analysis was used to analyze the data. Gender differences were found in the reasons for leaving school. Males dropped out due to poor school performance, vocational aspirations, and social interactions at school. Females dropped out due to family-related reasons. In males and females, friends played a role in students dropping out of school. Participants who performed well academically left school to be with their OSY friends. Those who did not pass and had friends who progressed to the next grade also dropped out of school. Preventing students from early school leaving involves targeting the interpersonal, school and policy levels with gender-specific intervention.

KW - South Africa

KW - Out of school youth

KW - Qualitative

KW - School dropout

U2 - 10.1177/21582440231219080

DO - 10.1177/21582440231219080

M3 - Article

SN - 2158-2440

VL - 14

JO - SAGE Open

JF - SAGE Open

IS - 1

M1 - 21582440231219080

ER -

Understanding Why Youth Drop Out of School in South Africa

Abstract

Keywords

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Cite this