[LISTEN] What can be done to lower SA’s teen pregnancy rate?

On this thought-provoking instalment of The Talking Point with Cathy Mohlahlana, Merle Mansfield, Programme Director of the Zero Dropout Campaign, discusses the teenage pregnancy crisis in South Africa and its contribution to school dropout. More than 4,000 girls between 10 and 19 years old have given birth in the Eastern Cape since the beginning of […]

[LISTEN] How will the new General Education Certificate affect dropout in South Africa?

In this SAfm interview with Stephen Grootes, Merle Mansfield, Programme Director of the Zero Dropout Campaign, discusses the protentional implications of the Department of Basic Education’s new General Education Certificate for Grade 9 currently being piloted in schools across South Africa. The General Education Certificate is scheduled for national implementation in 2025, and if so, […]

Experts question new education certificate’s impact on academic standards

There has been debate whether the General Education Certificate (GEC) will, despite its intentions, inadvertently formalise the dropout phenomenon in South Africa, which is still at crisis level.

OPINION: Matric dropouts — Department of Basic Education doth protest too much

When it comes to learners dropping out of school, the Department of Basic Education’s spokesperson seems far more interested in problematising legitimate criticism than the issue at hand. The recent opinion piece, ‘Including dropouts in the matric pass rate detracts from the real issues affecting youngsters’, by the Department of Basic Education (DBE) chief director […]

[LISTEN] Should the dropout rate be presented alongside the matric pass rate?

Recently on Power FM’s POWER Breakfast show, our Programme Director, Merle Mansfield debated the Department of Basic Education’s Elijah Mhlanga on the need to present dropout statistics alongside the matric pass rate. Mr Mhlanga argues that this is unnecessary and detracts from what should be our focus. However, we argue that the matric pass rate […]

[LISTEN] How the education budget could be spent to reduce school dropout

Since Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana’s Budget Speech in February this year, there have been numerous reports released with worrying insights to the state of our education system, particularly the levels of literacy in South Africa. Colin Wardle, Head of Communications at the Zero Dropout Campaign, speaks to the Voice of The Cape about this, highlighting […]

[LISTEN] Education allocation must address school dropout

In this interview with Money Web, Merle Mansfield, Programme Director of the Zero Dropout Campaign, explains why Government need to address the high dropout rate when it comes to budget allocations for education. “At the moment we have about a 57% survival rate in our school system, which means that 57% of learners who start […]

Why do South African learners drop out?

The latest census results released by Statistics South Africa reveal that 5.2 million young people in the country are not attending school. This is an increase of 200 000 young people, aged between 5 to 24, in comparison to 2011. Zero Dropout Campaign’s Marle Mansfield says pupils leave school prematurely due to factors inside and […]

‘Alive, loud and proud’, Youth Day speakers invoke the spirit of ’76

Despite the early morning chill, a crowd of young people – from school-age learners to students and young adults – began arriving at the Loftus Park in Pretoria from 9am to participate in the National Youth Coalition’s (NYC) annual Youth Day Parade for Justice and Change.  Formally endorsed by nearly 100 organisations, including the Zero Dropout […]

[LISTEN] Are school dropouts increasing?

Cape Talk host, Clarence Ford, speaks to Merle Mansfield, Programme Director of the Zero Dropout Campaign, about the spike in school dropout in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. Mansfield elaborates on the causes of school dropout, explaining that dropout has largely been normalised and credited to learners being “lazy” or “disinterested” but this is not […]

Back to school campaign sheds light on school dropout rates

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 […]

[LISTEN] Strategies of combatting high school dropout rate

Merle Mansfield, Programme Director of the Zero Dropout Campaign, speaks to Power FM about South Africa’s incredibly high dropout rate, and what we can do to reduce this.

Call to address drastic learner dropout rate

During a National Assembly committee briefing on Tuesday, the Department of Basic Education data revealed that at least 400 000 children who started Grade 1 in 2011(1 177 089) did not make it to Grade 12 (775 630) in 2022. Numbers reported for dropout rates in 2021, when Basic Education Deputy Minister Reginah Mhaule briefed […]

Rolling blackouts aggravate levels of absenteeism, incomplete homework, disrupted classes in SA

Rolling blackouts have touched all aspects of South African life. Education is no exception. In this sector — still recovering from the disruptions of the Covid-19 pandemic — frequent power outages are impacting teaching and learning, with some school principals even listing them as a factor behind rising absenteeism. It is not only how rolling […]

School dropout crisis in Northern Cape municipality

Only half the learners who start primary school make it to high school in the Northern Cape’s Joe Morolong Local Municipality. And of the learners who make it to high school, just 15% matriculate. These statistics were revealed in a report released on Thursday, last week, by the Zero Dropout Campaign. ​The findings are based on data gathered […]

Matric Class of 2022 should be celebrated, but results not accurate ‘barometer’ for education system — experts

The 80.1% pass rate achieved by the matric class of 2022 is a testament to their resilience and determination in the face of challenges. However, it is far from a holistic representation of the state of South Africa’s education system. “We definitely want to celebrate the matric class of 2022 – the learners who have […]

LISTEN: The matric pass rate should not be viewed in isolation

The Matric pass rate is up now to 80.1% with the highest number of bachelor passes ever. The minister of Basic Education says this shows that the basic education system has ressilience. Elizabeth Biney, Head of Research at Equal Education, Merle Mansfield, Programme Director for The Zero Dropout Campaign and Prof. Rouaan Maarman, Deputy Dean […]

LISTEN: The matric pass rate does not tell the full story

In anticipation of the release of the matric results for 2022, Merle Mansfield, Programme Director fo the Zero Dropout Campaign, joins Cape Talk’s Pippa Hudson to discuss the state of education in South Africa. Mansfield explains that while we must take nothing away from those that have passed, we must remember that the pass rate […]

LISTEN: How many learners actually make it to matric and pass?

The Matric pass rate is up now to 80.1% with the highest number of bachelor passes ever. However Merle Mansfield, Programme Director of the Zero Dropout Campaign, explains that this statistic alone is misleading. “The matric pass rate should be looked at alongside the dropout rate. It would be a more accurate representation of our […]

LISTEN: Contextualising the matric pass rate

Merle Mansfiled, Programme Director of the Zero Dropout Campaign, speaks to the Voice of the Cape about the annual matric pass rate. Merle explains that it is important to contextualise the matric pass rate, and understand that it is just a part of the full picture. This is because it only take in to account […]