In class? Poverty, social exclusion and school access in South Africa

The research challenges the assumption that absolute poverty and school fees are the primary causes of school drop-out in South Africa. While enrolment is high, completion rates remain low. The authors argue that 'relative poverty'—the subjective experience of inequality and social exclusion within the school environment—creates psychological barriers and disincentives for poor learners to remain in school, particularly in socio-economically mixed settings.

• School enrolment in South Africa is high for children aged seven to 15, but completion rates for Grade 12 are low, estimated at only 44% by the Department of Basic Education, largely due to high repetition rates.
• While poverty remains a driver of drop-out, school fees are less significant than previously thought, likely due to pro-poor policies such as no-fee schools and fee exemptions. Less than 1% of caregivers reported children being denied access specifically due to non-payment of fees.
• Other access costs, particularly school uniforms, continue to be a heavy burden for poor households. Transport costs are a primary barrier specifically for learners in rural communities and commercial farming areas due to a lack of secondary schools.
• Poor learners face social exclusion and punishment for non-payment of fees, including the withholding of report cards or exam results, and experiences of intimidation and humiliation from school staff.
• The subjective experience of relative poverty—feeling 'small' or 'the odd one out' compared to wealthier peers—acts as a catalyst for dropping out, especially in schools with a greater socio-economic mix.

APA

Dieltiens, V., & Meny-Gibert, S. (2012). In class? Poverty, social exclusion and school access in South Africa. Public Affairs Research Institute. https://pari.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/20120000_InClassSocialExclusionAndAccess_Journal-Articles_DieltiensGibert.pdf

Chicago

Dieltiens, Veerle, and Sarah Meny-Gibert. In class? Poverty, social exclusion and school access in South Africa. Public Affairs Research Institute, 2012. https://pari.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/20120000_InClassSocialExclusionAndAccess_Journal-Articles_DieltiensGibert.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Dieltiens |first1=Veerle |last2=Meny-Gibert |first2=Sarah |title=In class? Poverty, social exclusion and school access in South Africa |publisher=Public Affairs Research Institute |date=2012 |url=https://pari.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/20120000_InClassSocialExclusionAndAccess_Journal-Articles_DieltiensGibert.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{dieltiens2012class, author = {Dieltiens, Veerle and Meny-Gibert, Sarah}, title = {{In class? Poverty, social exclusion and school access in South Africa}}, institution = {Public Affairs Research Institute}, year = {2012}, url = {https://pari.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/20120000_InClassSocialExclusionAndAccess_Journal-Articles_DieltiensGibert.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }