The South African Local Government Association in KwaZulu-Natal (SALGA) notes with
concern that there are no concrete plans to address the high dropout rate uncovered by
the Census results released in 2023 by Statistics South Africa. The association calls on
municipalities to proactively facilitate the production of school uniforms locally to
stimulate local economic development.
KwaZulu-Natal is one of the poorest provinces in South Africa, with a high unemployment rate
and a large informal sector. This poverty is a major social challenge that contributes to high school
dropouts. The most recent Census found this dropout rate to be especially high for girl children
beyond the age of 15 years. Only 49% of all 15-year-old girls are attending school in South Africa.
In KwaZulu-Natal, over 1 million children attend school.
According to the General Household Survey, 2021, conducted by Statistics South Africa, when
20-year-olds who were not in education were asked why they were not attending school or tertiary
institutions, 23% said it was due to illness and disability. 21% said it was due to poor academic
performance and 20% said it was due to a lack of money for fees.
Social, infrastructural and economic challenges that contribute to school dropouts include:
- Teenage pregnancy: Teenage pregnancy rates are high in KwaZulu Natal, and many
teenage mothers drop out of school to care for their children. - Rape, violence and bullying: Rape, molestation, bullying and violence deprive children
of physical and psychological safety and thus make it difficult for students to attend school
safely. - Substance abuse: Substance abuse, in numerous studies, has been linked to students
dropping out of school. In KwaZulu-Natal, drug rings target children through glamorizing
gateway drugs and alcohol. - HIV/AIDS: HIV/AIDS still carries a stigma and has been linked to the existence of ‘sugar
daddies’ wherein young girls are defocused from school using money and the need to
escape poverty. Young people also drop out of school to care for sick family members. - Inaccessible schools: Children tend to skip school when schools are far or inaccessible
due to high uniform costs or poor transport systems. - Disruptions to household income: The South African economy has stagnated for
several years. This has led to breadwinners losing income and being unable to buy
uniforms or stationery or pay registration fees. - Social media: social media can be a distraction for students and can lead to cyberbullying.
It can also be addictive, taking away time that could be spent on schoolwork. - Proposals for the 2024 back-to-school season
- It is important to note that no single cause of school dropout exists, and students drop out for
- various reasons. SALGA proposals are designed to build local self-help and self-reliance
- wherein all spheres collaborate. The following proposals should be considered by Government,
- Mayors, and Traditional Leaders alike:
- Government must make Early Childhood Development compulsory, and where
affordability is an issue, it must be provided for free. - Mayors and councillors can assist children with registration fees to tertiary institutions.
While the efforts of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) for disadvantaged
learners can be applauded, this scheme annually leads to strikes, student protests, anxiety
and stress when some students are not accommodated. - Traditional leaders can actively engage with their communities to raise awareness about
the importance of education and the consequences of high school dropout. Collaboration
between local schools to identify and address local root causes of dropout rates can be
led by traditional leaders. - Traditional leaders and councillors are often at the centre of conflict resolution in rural
areas; they can also facilitate the rooting out of negative cultural norms that disadvantage
young girls from equal rights to education. - Local businesses, in partnership with governing bodies, can produce school uniforms
locally and thus assist households to earn a living.
