Dropping out of school is a huge problem in South Africa. The main reasons for this are the lack of resources, lack of parental involvement, and a culture that does not value education. According to the World Bank, South Africa spends only 1.5% of its GDP on education. This is much lower than the world’s average of 3%. South Africa has an adult literacy rate of only 59%. This means that there are almost 60% of people in the country are less literate than an 8-year-old child. Nowhere else in sub-Saharan Africa does it take longer for a student to learn how to read than it does in South Africa.
Reasons students are dropping out of school in South Africa
The students are dropping out of school because they cannot afford the tuition fees, books, and other school materials. The solution to this problem is the government should provide free education to all children in South Africa. This will help a lot of children to go back to school and finish their matriculation.
The family commitments that students have to take care of are a major factor in the student drop-out rate. Students cannot finish their education because they are too busy taking care of family members. Many students have been put in the breadwinner role in their family so are left without two choices, continue with their education and let their family starve. Or leave school to provide for their family.
