Exploring Academic Performance Leading to Engineering Students' Dropout in the Context of South African Technical Vocational Education and Training Colleges

The major goal of this study was to determine the root causes of a Technical Vocational Education Training College's high failure and dropout rates. A high dropout rate for engineering students has been experienced in the past few academic years and a survey was conducted to determine the reasons for this. Besides establishing the causes of high dropout, the study focused on the implementation of academic activities and strategies to minimize the high dropout rate. Social critical theory was the theoretical foundation for this investigation. Sixteen (16) participants were purposefully selected to participate in face-to-face interviews as a method of collecting relevant data. While data was being collected qualitatively through interviews, data analysis began and was continued on completion of the interviews from which transcriptions were made. Transcription was followed by coding to develop themes used as findings in the study. Findings showed that poor academic performance leads to a high dropout rate accompanies by a lack of teaching and learning resources, a poor living environment, the Covid-19 pandemic, financial challenges and a lack of expertise in mathematics and physical sciences. In response, the following recommendations were made develop policies to deal with and manage students' absenteeism; strict application of rules on admission policies which outlines requirements for enrolling engineering students; and improving methods of making resources available at the Technical Vocational Education Training College's.