SHAPING A NEW SOUTH AFRICAN STORY
Authored by the Zero Dropout Campaign
Quick facts about the Zero Dropout Campaign We are driving a powerful public advocacy agenda focused on mobilising a range of actors to act on school dropout. We are developing an accelerated learning programme focused on the rapid catch-up of skills that enable reading for meaning to address underlying learning backlogs that contribute to learner dropout. We are supporting the development and mobilisation of a network of schools committed to Zero Dropout. We are piloting innovative approaches to reducing dropout and learning from the implementation experience.
Leaving school without a matric certificate limits young people’s chances to learn, earn, and contribute to social and economic life. These are the chances on which our country’s future depends.
A far too common story...
Imagine a class of 100 grade 1s on their first day of school, bright-eyed and eager to learn. Of those 100 learners, at least 40 will drop out of school before finishing matric. Zero Dropout is an awareness campaign changing how we think about the pervasive problem of school dropout, and taking action to halve South Africa’s dropout rate by 2030.
Dropout affects the country as a whole: it’s one of the factors leading to youth unemployment.
...is your story too. Without a matric certificate (or NQF 4 equivalent), young people usually can’t access higher education – which is their most likely route to getting a job, earning more, and for some, breaking a cycle of poverty. Young people without a matric stay jobless for longer than their peers who have finished school, which can lead to depression and even less motivation to keep looking.
no vacancies How do we flip the narrative?
There are a lot of reasons why a child might drop out. Many of these problems are beyond their control.
Flipping the NARRATIVE We need to pay attention to each learner so we can see who is at risk of dropping out, and help them with the problems getting in the way of their education. With this guidance, we can change the way each learner’s story goes – and give it a happier ending.
Anele’s story
“It was a hard decision to stop studying, because I loved it and I wanted to be a doctor. I dropped out because of my situation, not because I wanted to drop out. At that time, I didn’t have a place to stay or food to eat so I dropped out and had to work just so I could eat. I want to go back to school, but if I went back to school now, I’d feel too old in the class.”
Anele* (21) is from Gompo, East London. She dropped out of school in Grade 8. *Name has been changed to preserve privacy.
AMY-LEE’s story
“The main reason I dropped out was that my mind wasn’t at school. My mind was at home with my friends and with drinking alcohol – it took my mind off school. My friends put pressure on me; I’d call them in the morning and say I was going to school and they’d say I was boring. I still want to do my matric but I’m nervous about going to the night school, because it’s so dangerous to travel there due to the gangsterism in my area. I have so many regrets now. I know that if I’d stayed in school, I’d be so far by now.”
Amy-Lee* (21) is from Grassy Park, Western Cape. She dropped out of school in Grade 10. *Name has been changed to preserve privacy.
Where do we start?
We need to start with the ABCs. In 2017, the Zero Dropout Campaign began working with implementing partners in different provinces to determine best practice for dropout prevention.
A
academic results
B C
behavioural problems
chronic absenteeism
A way to predict when learners need help is to keep an eye out for trouble in three key areas: Academic results, Behavioural problems, and Chronic absenteeism. Our schools already have good systems for collecting facts about learners’ progress, but these systems are focused on learners as a group – while we need to be looking closer, at individuals.
Who are the heroes?
When mentors get involved in the lives of learners who are at risk of dropping out of school, the story can change for the better. When learners have just one caring adult to support their education, whether this is a teacher, programme volunteer or other community member, their chances of finishing matric are improved.
NGO PARTNERS AND CARING ADULTS: The heroes of the story An Early Warning System would help to identify learners who are at risk of dropping out, using the ABCs we’ve mentioned. Then mentors from our partner organisations spend time with these learners to understand more about the problems that they face. They can help the learners and their families to deal with those problems or refer them to additional support services.
dumo’s story
“My father passed away when I was 10 and I failed Grade 3 and Grade 4. I was sad because my peers went to the next grade and I had to stay behind. A mentor is helping me with my academic work. I approached the Check and Connect mentor and asked for help with my schoolwork because I want to study Mechanical Engineering at university. There is nothing that will stop me from getting to university, even if I only finish school when I’m 21, I would still go to make my father proud.”
Dumo* (18) is from Gompo, East London. He dropped out of school in Grade 9. *Name has been changed to preserve privacy.
Summing up the solutions
Make school a great place to be When we improve school culture, learners feel welcome and can be creative, learn and thrive.
Form networks of support Teachers, parents and other members of the community should act together to help learners.
Implement an Early Warning System (EWS) Monitoring risk factors needs to be a part of the EWS, so that we can see when support is needed for a learner.
Let Champion Teachers lead It’s useful to identify motivated educators who can drive change and mobilise support networks.
Learn from other schools A powerful thing about support networks is that schools can share knowledge about reducing dropout.
Together, we can help them to turn the page. There are many ways for us all to help learners to get the education they deserve. On the Zero Dropout Campaign website, we have links to information for caregivers, educators, learners, decision-makers and NGOs who want to support our goal of halving SA’s dropout rate. www.zerodropout.co.za
The story continues...
ZeroXdropout Zero Dropout Campaign info@zerodropout.co.za zero_dropout 060 054 0000