Learners drop out of school because of lack of funds

Lauren Snyders
19 January 2012

The South African Institute of Race Relations (SAIRR) said today that two out of three grade ten learners will not pass matric.

This latest survey also showed that most learners, who drop out, do so because of lack of funds.

SAIRR researcher Jonathan Snyman said today that the other common reasons why learners leave school are to look for work or family commitments.

He added that some of their views might be that they think being at school is not relevant to their lives.

The survey found that less than half of the learners who enrolled for grade ten in 2008, sat for the matric exam in 2010.

Only 34 percent of the grade tens who went on to pass matric in 2010 had a good enough pass to go to a university and study for a bachelor’s degree.

The survey found that those who did not complete high school along with those who's highest qualification was matric, accounted for 81 percent of all unemployed in the country.

Only six percent out of the unemployed had a tertiary level qualification.