ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Students from impoverished economic backgrounds have the highest drop‐out rates
within the higher education sector. Research conducted both locally and
internationally reveals that there are several variables that influence a student’s
decision to leave the higher education institution. Very little research has
concentrated on why students from deprived backgrounds advance academically or
what enables them to do so.
In South Africa, numerous changes have been introduced on the social, economic
and educational fronts in attempts to correct the inequality prevalent in the country.
In education, various changes and programmes have been introduced. Increasing
access to higher education for poor black students has been one of the primary goals
of change within that sector. The results, though, are alarming. Despite this
increased access, many continue to drop out; the reasons are varied.
Some, however, do stay. This research was aimed at finding out what contributed to
a group of poor black students’ advancing academically when many of their peers
had dropped out. There is no theory of what these factors could have been.
Although the researcher realises that the results of this study will not be
generalisable, it is an important discussion to initiate if we as South Africans truly
want to support disadvantaged students entering higher education institutions.
Without attempts to find adequate support structures, many will continue to be let
down by the system.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Studente uit ʼn verarmde ekonomiese agtergrond het die hoogste uitvalkoers in die
hoëronderwyssektor. Navorsing wat plaaslik sowel as internasionaal uitgevoer is,
toon dat daar verskeie veranderlikes is wat ’n student se besluit beïnvloed om die
hoëronderwysinstelling te verlaat. Bitter min navorsing is al gedoen om vas te stel
wat dit is wat studente uit ʼn verarmde ekonomiese agtergrond in staat stel om
akademies vol te hou en te vorder.
Daar is verskeie veranderings op die sosiale, ekonomiese en onderwysfront in Suid‐
Afrika ingevoer om die ongelykheid wat in die land heers, te probeer regstel. Wat
onderrig betref, is verskeie veranderings en programme ingevoer. Een van die
vernaamste doelwitte van verandering in hierdie sektor was verhoogde toegang tot
hoër onderwys vir arm swart studente. Nogtans is die resultate kommerwekkend.
Hoewel hulle toegang verkry, val talle van hierdie studente steeds uit – om verskeie
redes.
Nietemin is daar studente wat volhou. Hierdie navorsing is daarop gemik om uit te
vind wat daartoe bygedra het dat ’n groep arm swart studente akademies vorder
terwyl baie van hulle eweknieë uitgeval het. Geen teorie bestaan oor wat hierdie
faktore kon gewees het nie. Hoewel die navorser besef dat die resultate nie
veralgemeen kan word nie, is dit belangrik dat hierdie gesprek aan die gang kom as
ons as Suid‐Afrikaners werklik steun wil bied aan benadeelde studente wat
instellings van hoër onderrig betree: As ons nie toereikende ondersteuningstrukture
probeer vind nie, sal talle steeds deur die stelsel in die steek gelaat word.
