An examinations of interventions strategies for learner dropout in rural South African High Schools

Abstract

This study examined the intervention strategies for learner drop-out in mral South African high schools at Tshilamba circuit m Limpopo province.The study adopted qualitative phenomenological research approach in which focus group interviews were conducted.Purposive sampling procedure was utilised to select 70 participants who comprised of 20 school learners, 20 school dropouts, 10 SGB members and 20 teachers from two schools in the Tshilamba mral community. The study found that there are there are various causes of learner drop-out which include lack of fees, poverty, teen pregnancy, drug and alcohol abuse, and lack of parental monitoring, especially for those who stayed with grand-parents and in child-headed families. The study concludes that there are several intervention strategies that are being used to curb higher learners drop-out in South African high schools at Tshilamba circuit in Limpopo province. These strategies include amongst others creating a safe and friendly school environment, prevention programmes to curb teenage pregnancy, parental involvement in the education of their children, school capitation grant and school feeding scheme programmes, remedial education, abolition of corporal punishment, extramural and co-cunicular activities, and provision of vocational guidance and counselling. The study recommends that awareness campaigns should be conducted to educate the learners and the community about the dangers of being uneducated citizens. The study also recommends that everywhere when people gather for any activity, such gathering should include in their agendas, campaigns against school drop-outs.