Investigating the psychosocial causes and effects of high Secondary school dropout rates in Sir Lowry’s Pass, Western Cape
| dc.contributor.advisor | Bayat, Amiena | |
| dc.contributor.author | Petersen, Savannah | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2025-05-29T04:29:23Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2025-05-29T04:29:23Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2023 | |
| dc.description.abstract | This thesis explores the psychosocial causes and effects of students dropping out of high school in the Sir Lowry’s Pass community. This investigation is supported by secondary and primary literature and research contributing to the importance of this topic as a social phenomenon and as a developmental key factor in poor communities. The issues surrounding this phenomenon are complex, multifaceted and can have long term negative effects after dropping out of high school (Macleod, 1999). The issue of elevated high school dropout rates is a worldwide issue; it is especially problematic in developing countries such as South Africa. Most recent statistics show that approximately 3% of 15-year-olds and approximately 9% of 17-year-olds drop out of school in South Africa (Stats SA, 2020). Psychosocial factors related to issues of poverty, crime, substance abuse, teenage pregnancy, a lack of education and lack of employment opportunities are amplified in poor communities in South Africa. These influence behaviours, choices, perspectives and ideas students have about themselves and their futures (Frosh, 2003). These are experienced on an individual, micro and macro level. By using Human Capital Theory as a theoretical lens to better conceptualise this phenomenon of high, high school dropout rates especially in poor communities. The researcher gives developmental and economic context to the relevance of the issue by including Human Capital Theory. The Sir Lowry’s Pass Village is a semi-rural community located in Cape Town, South Africa. This research treats the chosen area of Sir Lowry’s Pass as a case study and investigates the issue of dropout rates through a qualitative research approach. This community was purposely chosen due to its socioeconomic and education characteristics. including the absence of a high school, limited youth development opportunities, overall underdevelopment in the community as a whole and the significance of high school and primary school dropout rates. This study aims to better understand why individuals from the Sir Lowry’s Pass community often do not complete their high school education and how it has affected their lives shortly after dropping out as well as over an extended period of time after they have dropped out of school. In addition, the study attempts to shed light on the community of Sir Lowry's Pass Village and its needs. Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted including twenty participants who have dropped out of high school; these participants were purposely selected as the sample group. Semi-structured qualitative interviews with five key informants selected from the community with specific insights into the issue of high school dropouts in Sir Lowrys Pass were also conducted. The data from both interview groups were analysed thematically, common factors and challenges were identified as themes in order to transfigure the data into information that can be understood through a thematic lens. The prominent themes identified include poverty, crime, substance abuse, teenage pregnancy, lack of education and unemployment. These key themes were used to analyse the information further in order to develop recommendations and conclusions. The study's key findings indicate that the roots of high school dropout rates trace back to primary school challenges, the students' home environments and circumstances and the prevalence of poverty within the community. The success or difficulties that these students experience while in high school need to be further understood as these youth are going through crucial developmental stages of their lives. Finding ways to help these students transition to high school and make a success of their education so that they might be able to build a life of upward mobility and opportunity. Not only for themselves but also for their families and collectively improving their communities. Needs to start by understanding what the challenges are that are preventing them from being able to do so. This research attempts to highlight the challenges individuals that have dropped out of high school and what they experience as dropouts in order to make sure that dropouts are not lost in development due to challenges that they have had while attempting to complete their education. | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://hdl.handle.net/10566/20458 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.publisher | University of the Western Cape | |
| dc.subject | Sir Lowry’s Pass | |
| dc.subject | secondary school | |
| dc.subject | dropout | |
| dc.subject | development | |
| dc.subject | inequality | |
| dc.title | Investigating the psychosocial causes and effects of high Secondary school dropout rates in Sir Lowry’s Pass, Western Cape | |
| dc.type | Thesis |