Bic, the stationery manufacturer, has recently concluded its nationwide Back-to-School campaign that sheds light on the country’s alarming school dropout rates. In partnership with the Zero Dropout Campaign, BIC leveraged its campaign to raise awareness around one of the major challenges in the education sector.
Among Bic’s commitments is improving learning conditions for 250 million students by 2025, the Zero Dropout Campaign intends to reduce South Africa’s dropout rate by half in 2030. About 41% of South African learners don’t obtain a National Senior Certificate by the end of their schooling career.
Merle Mansfield, Programme Director of the Zero Dropouts campaign said: “The dropout rates in South Africa are alarming. Countless learners in South Africa are constantly dealing with social pressures outside of school, including raising families, staying safe, finding a sense of belonging, or even avoiding bullies. These factors all contribute to dropout rates. We are proud to work with BIC and other organisations to raise awareness around this crucial issue. Our aim is to reduce learner dropout and provide our children opportunities to learn and prepare for their future.”