Studiestaking aan landbouopleidingsinstellings: waarskynlike oorsake en moontlike strategieë vir studente-ondersteuning

Abstract

Student dropout in South Africa increasingly receives attention as approximately one quarter of students admitted to higher education institutions discontinue their studies during the first year. This investigation aimed to determine why students discontinue or extend their studies. Using a qualitative approach and in-depth interviews, data was generated from seventeen students who dropped out from four acgriculture training institutions. Findings indicate that dropout can be attributed mainly to academic and/ or social factors. These factors prevent adequate learning integration, essential to studying successfully. Various factors appear to be responsible for inadequate academic integration while ineffective social integration could be the result of too little or unbalanced and unhealthy social activities. A theoretical framework is proposed that could offer improved understanding and prevention of student dropout.