Access and Outcomes: Women's Education in South Africa

by Katie Farrell

INTRODUCTION

Self-determination, or the free choice of one's own acts without external compulsion, is seen by many as a hallmark of a well-functioning society. The ability to control one’s life, resources, choices, and education in hopes of a better future are basic indicators of freedom. The American Dream has echoed in the American psyche since the nation’s inception. It has remained a beacon of hope but in recent decades, Americans have realized that it is just that: a hope not nearly as achievable as it is made out to be. America’s history and the institutions that it has created have shaped a landscape much different than the even playing field taught to students in elementary school. To many, it is deeply prejudiced and unfair, creating rough terrain for some and smooth pathways for others. 

In South Africa, the vestiges of history also take hold of institutions, in some cases, creating unequal circumstances that inhibit self-determination. A key component of self-determination, education, is unequal in both nations. In South Africa, 55 percent of the uneducated adult population are women, suggesting a fairly equal education system in terms of numbers (Statistics South Africa, 2021, 1). However, equality in numbers does not indicate equality in education. The gap in equality of outcome is partially accounted for through factors such as teen pregnancy and sexual violence. This gap has closed in recent years, but the COVID-19 pandemic has reinstated previous inequalities. 

GENERAL RESULTS

On paper, South Africa’s education system appears to be parity across gender. However, equality in numbers does not mean equality in educational outcomes. The numbers show that girls have equal access to school as their male counterparts; however, their continued education and future opportunities are highly affected by the patriarchal society that their education operates under. 

The South African government has made recent efforts to address gender inequalities in education. These efforts have been successful at equalizing access to education for female learners. Since 2000, the percentage of uneducated females has dropped from 61 to 55 (James et al, 2000, pg. 18). Additionally, the percentage of female pre-primary students, secondary students, and post-secondary students surpass the percentage of females in the overall population gender split (Statistics South Africa, 2021, 1). 

However, The “global assumption that an equal number of girls in school leads to empowerment and gender equity within society may not necessarily be correct in the South African context” (Holmarsdottir et al., 2011, 16). The recent efforts attempt to address the access problem, not the larger societal problem of educational outcomes (Holmarsdottir et al., 2011, 23). The government’s focus on gender at the policy level misses the nuanced conversation necessary for change. Bhana et al identify “the ways in which young people are educated (or taught) about sex, sexuality and sexual expression” as an area of concern to “effect real change in how young people, and how the experiences of young people wishing to experience and express their sexualities, can be included in discussions and debates about them” (Bhana et al, 2019, 362). However, it is important to acknowledge that dropout rates in South Africa are even higher among male students than female students. In a study published in the South African Journal of Education, when compared to males, “the hazard of dropout for females was 28.2% lower” (Weybright et al., 2018, 10), proving that educational outcomes can be considered poorer for male students based on certain factors. 

SEXUAL VIOLENCE

Another factor affecting girls’ education is sexual violence. In 2020, the World Population Review determined that South Africa had the highest incidence of rape in the world with 132.4 rapes reported per 100,000 people (World Population Review, 2020, 1). Another vestige of apartheid, violence is often used to exert control and in many cases, sexual violence exerts male control over females. 

This high incidence of reported sexual violence is disproportionately prevalent in schools. In 2019, Breetzke et al’s research found that “schools and their surrounding environs may attract crime and place individuals at an increased risk of sexual victimization, at least in a South African context” (Breetzke et al, 2019, 1). Sexual violence represents a “discriminatory barrier for young women and girls seeking an education” (Human Rights Watch, 2001). Additionally, “Learners in poor schools are more likely to be victims of sexual violence” (Paterson, 2017, 315).  

The 2001 Human Rights Watch report, ‘Scared at School,’ states that  “all of the girls told us it was harder to concentrate on their work after their assaults. Some girls reported losing interest in school altogether, many girls transferred to new schools, others simply left school entirely” (Human Rights Watch, 2001). 

TEEN PREGNANCY

Further, teen pregnancy poses a significant barrier to women’s education. In South Africa, among female youth (ages 10-19) “19.2% said that they had an adolescent pregnancy” (Mchunu et al., 2012, 426). At this age, pregnancy directly interferes with the young women’s education creating a ripple effect on future job opportunities and other career choices (Mchunu et al., 2012, 426). This is due to “insufficient support (physically and emotionally)” causing many young mothers to “quit school or do not succeed with schooling” (Chigona and Chetty, 2007, 1). While teenage pregnancy only accounts for 2.3% of dropouts, pregnant learners “had worse educational outcomes—they were more likely to have ever repeated a grade and less likely to have high attendance in school” (Stoner et al, 2019, 562). These factors also contribute to poor performance, worse job outcomes, and can create additional reasons for dropping out after the pregnancy. 

Many factors make it difficult for female learners to continue or succeed in school following their pregnancy. In some cases, parents of the female child may decide that schooling is now unnecessary. However, recent Constitutional Court rulings have declared pregnancy policies barring pregnant students from continuing their education unconstitutional (Kangaude and Kakhobwe, 2017, 1). Of the young mothers interviewed by the Human Rights Watch, all indicated trouble balancing school work and a lack of resources to compensate for the time missed in school or to explore career opportunities (Chigona and Chetty, 2007, 6). 

COVID-19

Finally, COVID-19 has further complicated these issues and imposed more barriers to education and its continuation for many female students who need it most. COVID has only exacerbated the structural barriers in the South African education system. Amnesty International’s research indicated that “nationally, only 22% of households have a computer and 10% an internet connection… By contrast, students from wealthier communities with computer access have been able to continue their education particularly through remote learning provided by better-resourced schools” (Amnesty International, 2021, 1). This is often called the digital divide, which allows wealthier schools with more funding to transition to online schooling easily. Meanwhile, predominantly African township schools are historically underfunded and lack sufficient resources, making their move to online education difficult. 

CONCLUSION

South Africa’s gender inequity in education drives a deep division between education access and outcomes. Sexual violence and teen pregnancy partially explain the poor outcomes for female students. Recent efforts by the South African government have proven effective in encouraging female participation and continuation of schooling. However, the problems in South Africa, like in the United States, are complex and deeply intertwined with societal issues dating back centuries. Inkululeko’s resources and tutoring directly combat the problems of interrupted education and aim to provide a safe and healthy environment for female learners. 

Inkululeko’s initiatives work to empower young women and break the cycles inherited in South Africa. Inkululeko closes that gap between access and outcome for female learners. In the next two articles, I will explore the importance of education in a girl’s life and possible steps forward. There is no doubt that this situation is complex but it remains a necessary conversation to begin. 

Citations

Breetzke, G. D., Fabris-Rotelli, I., Modiba, J., & Edelstein, I. S. (2019, October 24). The proximity of sexual violence to schools: evidence from a township in South Africa. GeoJournal. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10708-019-10093-3. 

Chigona, A., & Chetty, R. (2007). Girls’ Education in South Africa: Special Consideration to Teen Mothers as Learners. Journal of Education for International Development, 3(1). https://doi.org/http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.625.4794&rep=rep1&type=pdf 

Holmarsdottir, H., Ekne, I., & Augestad, H. (2011). The Dialectic between Global Gender Goals and Local Empowerment: Girls' Education in Southern Sudan and South Africa. Research in Comparative and International Education, 6(1). https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.2304/rcie.2011.6.1.14 

Human Rights Watch. (2001). Scared at school: sexual violence against girls in South African schools. https://www.hrw.org/legacy/reports/2001/safrica/index.htm#TopOfPage. 

Farrell, K., & Dixon, K. (2021, June). Disparities in South Africa's Education System. personal. 

Kangaude, G., & Kakhobwe, Y. (2017, September 28). South Africa: Expulsion of pregnant students violated constitutional rights. Reprohealthlaw Blog. https://reprohealthlaw.wordpress.com/2017/09/29/south-africa-expulsion-of-pregnant-students-violated-constitutional-rights/. 

Mchunu, G., Peltzer, K., Tutshana, B., & Seutlwadi, L. (2012). Adolescent pregnancy and associated factors in South African youth. African health sciences, 12(4), 426–434. https://doi.org/10.4314/ahs.v12i4.5

Paterson, K. (2017). Sexual Violence in Schools. In Basic Education Rights Handbook: Education Rights in South Africa (pp. 310–329). essay, Section27. https://section27.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Chapter-18.pdf. 

Rape Statistics By Country 2021. (n.d.). https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/rape-statistics-by-country. 

Republic of South Africa. (2021, June 3). Education. Statistics South Africa. http://www.statssa.gov.za/?page_id=737&id=4. 

South Africa: COVID-19 pushes inequality in schools to crippling new level, risks a lost generation of learners. Amnesty International. (2021, February 15). https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2021/02/south-africa-covid19-pushes-inequality-in-schools-to-crippling-new-level-risks-a-lost-generation-of-learners/. 

Stoner, M. C. D., Rucinski, K. B., Edwards, J. K., Selin, A., Hughes, J. P., Wang, J., Agyei, Y., Gomez-Olive, F. X., MacPhail, C., Kahn, K., & Pettifor, A. (2019). The Relationship Between School Dropout and Pregnancy Among Adolescent Girls and Young Women in South Africa: A HPTN 068 Analysis. Health Education & Behavior, 46(4), 559–568. https://doi.org/10.1177/1090198119831755

Weybright, E. H., Caldwell, L. L., Xie, H. J., Wegner, L., & Smith, E. A. (2017). Predicting secondary school dropout among South African adolescents: A survival analysis approach. South African journal of education, 37(2), 1353. https://doi.org/10.15700/saje.v37n2a1353