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Progress through school and the determinants of school dropout in South Africa

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  • Nicola Branson
  • Clare Hofmeyr
  • David Lam

Abstract

The release of the National Income Dynamics Study Wave 2 provides the first nationally representative longitudinal data collected in South Africa, making it possible to study transitions in and out of school, across grades and into work, in ways not previously possible. We illustrate the high levels of grade repetition evident in South African schools and show how school completion presents a significant hurdle with very few youth successfully matriculating. Exit from school does not offer any advantages as most youth find themselves idle once they have left school. Our regression analysis investigates correlates of school dropout and shows that falling behind is a key determinant of school dropout, even after controlling for school quality and socio-economic status. Those behind but attending higher quality schools are partially protected from dropping out. Some evidence that credit constraints may be related to dropout is found, especially among males.

Suggested Citation

  • Nicola Branson & Clare Hofmeyr & David Lam, 2014. "Progress through school and the determinants of school dropout in South Africa," Development Southern Africa, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 31(1), pages 106-126, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:deveza:v:31:y:2014:i:1:p:106-126
    DOI: 10.1080/0376835X.2013.853610
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    Cited by:

    1. Jochim, Janina & Cluver, Lucie D. & Meinck, Franziska, 2021. "Learner pregnancy in South Africa’s Eastern Cape: The Factors affecting adolescent girls' school withdrawal during pregnancy," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    2. Hendrik van Broekhuizen & Nic Spaull, 2017. "The ‘Martha Effect’: The compounding female advantage in South African higher education," Working Papers 14/2017, Stellenbosch University, Department of Economics.
    3. Nicola Branson & David Lam, 2017. "The impact of the no-fee school policy on enrolment and school performance: Evidence from NIDS Waves 1-3," SALDRU Working Papers 197, Southern Africa Labour and Development Research Unit, University of Cape Town.
    4. Kakal, T., 2015. "A tale of two sisters : Investigating the socio-economic outcomes of teen childbearing in South Africa," ISS Working Papers - General Series 604, International Institute of Social Studies of Erasmus University Rotterdam (ISS), The Hague.
    5. Annah Vimbai Bengesai & Nompumelelo Nzimande, 2020. "The Association between Family Structure Changes and High School Completion in South Africa," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 9(8), pages 1-15, July.
    6. Hofmeyr, Heleen, 2022. "Why do girls do better? Unpacking South Africa’s gender gap in PIRLS and TIMSS," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 94(C).
    7. Haroon Bhorat & Karmen Naidoo & Morné Oosthuizen & Kavisha Pillay, 2015. "Demographic, employment, and wage trends in South Africa," WIDER Working Paper Series 141, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    8. Heleen Hofmeyr, 2019. "Performance Beyond Expectations: Academic Resilience in South Africa," Working Papers 19/2019, Stellenbosch University, Department of Economics.
    9. Asmus Zoch, 2017. "The effect of neighbourhoods and school quality on education and labour market outcomes in South Africa," Working Papers 08/2017, Stellenbosch University, Department of Economics.
    10. Marisa Fintel & Asmus Zoch & Servaas Berg, 2017. "The Dynamics of Child Poverty in South Africa Between 2008 and 2012," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 10(4), pages 945-969, December.
    11. Sunny, Bindu S. & Elze, Markus & Chihana, Menard & Gondwe, Levie & Crampin, Amelia C. & Munkhondya, Masoyaona & Kondowe, Scotch & Glynn, Judith R., 2017. "Failing to progress or progressing to fail? Age-for-grade heterogeneity and grade repetition in primary schools in Karonga district, northern Malawi," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 68-80.
    12. Durevall, Dick & Lindskog, Annika & George, Gavin, 2015. "Education and HIV incidence among young women: causation or selection?," Working Papers in Economics 638, University of Gothenburg, Department of Economics.
    13. Neryvia Pillay Bell, 2020. "The impacts of unconditional cash transfers on schooling in adolescence and young adulthood Evidence from South Africa," Working Papers 10023, South African Reserve Bank.
    14. Heleen Hofmeyr, 2020. "South Africa’s Pro-Girl Gap in PIRLS and TIMSS: How Much Can Be Explained?," Working Papers 17/2020, Stellenbosch University, Department of Economics.
    15. De Wet, Nicole, 2019. "The association between mother's socioeconomic status and non-orphan kinship care arrangements in South Africa," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 103(C), pages 79-86.
    16. Servaas van der Berg & Chris van Wyk & Rebecca Selkirk, 2020. "Schools in the time of COVID-19: Possible implications for enrolment, repetition and dropout," Working Papers 20/2020, Stellenbosch University, Department of Economics.
    17. Tran, Tam Ngo Minh, 2022. "Skills and educational aspirations as predictors of secondary school dropout in Vietnam: A dynamic approach," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 95(C).
    18. Zuilkowski, Stephanie Simmons & Jukes, Matthew C.H. & Dubeck, Margaret M., 2016. "“I failed, no matter how hard I tried”: A mixed-methods study of the role of achievement in primary school dropout in rural Kenya," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 100-107.
    19. Christina Gravert & Kai Barron & Mette Trier Damgaard & Lisa Norrgren, 2020. "Time Preferences and Medication Adherence: A Field Experiment with Pregnant Women in South Africa," CEBI working paper series 20-29, University of Copenhagen. Department of Economics. The Center for Economic Behavior and Inequality (CEBI).
    20. Jessica Standish-White & Arden Finn, 2015. "Unconditional cash transfers and children's educational outcomes: Evidence from the old-age pension programme in South Africa ," SALDRU Working Papers 147, Southern Africa Labour and Development Research Unit, University of Cape Town.
    21. De Neve, Jan-Walter & Harling, Guy, 2017. "Offspring schooling associated with increased parental survival in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 176(C), pages 149-157.
    22. Haroon Bhorat & Karmen Naidoo & Morné Oosthuizen & Kavisha Pillay, 2015. "Demographic, employment, and wage trends in South Africa," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2015-141, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    23. Kai Barron & Mette Trier Damgaard & Christina Gravert & Lisa Norrgren, 2022. "Time Preferences and Medication Adherence: Evidence from Pregnant Women in South Africa," CESifo Working Paper Series 9988, CESifo.
    24. Servaas van der Berg & Gabrielle Wills & Rebecca Selkirk & Charles Adams & Chris van Wyk, 2019. "The cost of repetition in South Africa," Working Papers 13/2019, Stellenbosch University, Department of Economics.
    25. T Ncanywa, 2016. "The Dinaledi Intervention Program," Journal of Economics and Behavioral Studies, AMH International, vol. 8(4), pages 144-155.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • I24 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Inequality
    • I20 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - General

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