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Place, race and language: Secondary school 'choice' in South Africa's Gauteng province

Author

Listed:
  • Eldridge Moses

    (Department of Economics and ReSEP, Stellenbosch University)

Abstract

This paper uses 2021 and 2022 school-level administration data to examine the relationship between primary and high school locations to determine whether high-quality secondary schools still mostly draw learners selectively from nearby 'feeder' primary schools, and as a result affect racial diversity in enrolments. We find that race is still a powerful predictor of access to high-quality secondary schools in South Africa. Gauteng's poorest-performing schools are home to mostly Black and Coloured learners, while its best-performing schools have an over-representation of White and Asian/Indian learners (relative to their overall population proportions in Gauteng). The findings in this paper suggest that the uneven distributions of high-quality schools, feeder zone rules and affordability constraints prevent many South African learners from enrolling in high-quality schools.

Suggested Citation

  • Eldridge Moses, 2023. "Place, race and language: Secondary school 'choice' in South Africa's Gauteng province," Working Papers 03/2023, Stellenbosch University, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:sza:wpaper:wpapers379
    as

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    File URL: https://www.ekon.sun.ac.za/wpapers/2023/wp032023/wp032023-1.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Peter G. Moll, 1998. "Primary Schooling, Cognitive Skills and Wages in South Africa," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 65(258), pages 263-284, May.
    2. Anthony Lemon, 2004. "Redressing School Inequalities in the Eastern Cape, South Africa," Journal of Southern African Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 30(2), pages 269-290.
    3. Thomas J. Kane & Stephanie K. Riegg & Douglas O. Staiger, 2006. "School Quality, Neighborhoods, and Housing Prices," American Law and Economics Review, American Law and Economics Association, vol. 8(2), pages 183-212.
    4. repec:bla:econom:v:65:y:1998:i:258:p:263-84 is not listed on IDEAS
    5. Pauline Musset, 2012. "School Choice and Equity: Current Policies in OECD Countries and a Literature Review," OECD Education Working Papers 66, OECD Publishing.
    6. Servaas van der Berg, 2015. "What the Annual National Assessments can tell us about learning deficits over the education system and the school career year," Working Papers 18/2015, Stellenbosch University, Department of Economics.
    7. Katherine Eriksson, 2014. "Does the language of instruction in primary school affect later labour market outcomes? Evidence from South Africa," Economic History of Developing Regions, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 29(2), pages 311-335, December.
    8. Hunter, Mark, 2015. "Schooling choice in South Africa: The limits of qualifications and the politics of race, class and symbolic power," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 41-50.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • I24 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Inequality
    • I25 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Economic Development
    • I28 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Government Policy

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