High school dropout rate in Gauteng a concern
The DA's Gauteng Shadow MEC for Education said the terrible conditions of schools are a contributing factor for the alarming dropout rate while a mother says bullying too plays a major role.
More than 100 000 learners have dropped out of the schooling system in the Gauteng Province.
This is according to the DA’s Gauteng Shadow MEC for Education Khume Ramulifho who said the terrible conditions of the schools are some of the contributing factors behind the dropout rate.
“Many schools in Gauteng are in a terrible state resulting in thousands of learners being lost in the system. There is an alarming number of 110 381 learners who have dropped out of school, while others have been moved to schools with better resources to deliver quality education. Out of 2 513 350 learners whom the department enrolled in 2021, only 2 252 291 returned to school in the 2022 academic year (grades 1 to 12).
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The statistics were revealed by the Gauteng MEC for Education Matome Chiloane in a written reply to the DA’s questions tabled in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature (GPL).
Of the 110 381 learners who were lost in the system, 53 935 are of school-going age.
“This is concerning because it substantially impacts the future of these learners, who will struggle to find long-term employment as they lack the basic skills needed in a workplace. The DA proposes that the department must have mechanisms in place to track the learners who are lost in the system to ensure that no learner of school-going age is deprived of education.
“Furthermore, it is the responsibility of the department to maintain our schools regularly. We demand that all schools be adequately equipped with resources to create an environment conducive to learning and teaching,” said Ramulifho.
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The Herald spoke to resident Nombuso Mvela who said that bullying is also an element that needs to be considered when tackling the issue of dropouts in the schooling system.
“I think bullying is a thorn in the side of many learners and should be dealt away with. My son who is in Grade 11 once considered dropping out of school because of the bullying in school. I’m just glad we were able to talk him out of it,” said Mvela
Meanwhile, the DA will submit further questions to the MEC to determine what steps have been taken to locate the whereabouts of these learners that have been lost in the system.
