The phasing out of commercial subjects in rural Limpopo Secondary Schools in Vhembe West District, South africa

Abstract

Accounting is one of the commercial subjects that is being phased out by some of the schools in Vhembe West District. The removal of this subject by schools has a negative impact on learners who wish to pursue a career in commerce, business and accounting, and deprives learners of the knowledge and skills that are covered in those subjects. Teachers who are teaching the subjects are also affected. The aim of this study was to investigate the reasons behind the phasing out of commercial subjects. This study adopted a qualitative approach where purposive sampling of educators teaching commercial subjects, school managers and learners were interviewed, and observation techniques were used to collect data. A total of 9 school principals, 9 commercial subject teachers and 18 learners were used in this study. Data analysis was conducted using Tesch’s eight steps in the coding process. The results of this study revealed that the decline of commercial subjects in rural secondary schools was influenced by a complex interplay of factors. Qualitative data analysis showed that government policies and curriculum changes shaped the availability and prioritisation of commercial subjects. School-level factors, such as leadership decisions, resource allocation, and teacher expertise, also played a significant role. Student-level factors, including interest, performance, and career aspirations, further impacted the choice of commercial subjects. Moreover, socioeconomic conditions, access to vocational training, and societal pressures influenced attitudes towards commercial subjects. While teachers generally exhibited positive attitudes towards commercial subjects, school managers maintained negative views due to factors like low performance and perceived lack of prestige. Learners also presented negative attitudes towards commercial subjects, influenced by perceived difficulty, lack of interest, or societal pressures. These interconnected factors contribute to the ongoing challenge of maintaining commercial subjects in rural secondary schools in Limpopo. These results are important to the Department of Education, School Governing Boards (SGBs), learners and society at large. Particularly, the results are useful to the Department of Basic Education since they help inform the planning, design and implementation of policies seeking to salvage the extinction of accounting subjects in rural secondary schools.