A critical exploration of student integration and attrition of Black African undergraduate students from selected South African universities = Ukuhlola okubalulekile kwendlela abafundi abahlangana ngayo kanye nokuncipha kwabafundi abangakathweshwa iziqu abansundu emanyuvesi athile aseNingizimu Afrika.

Abstract

Access to South African Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) has significantly increased; however, success and graduation rates continue to decrease, especially amongst Black African students. Moreover, Black African youths entering university do so against the backdrop of extreme inequalities characterising their schooling backgrounds, class and economic resources. Such inequalities have had a large impact on these students’ decision to drop out of university. Literature relating to Black African students’ experiences of integration and attrition at South African universities is sorely missing. In addition to this, the institutions of higher learning are struggling to find a proper remedy to mitigate student dropout. Hence, it is this gap that the present study sought to fill by developing a new model that can be used by universities to retain Black African students in South Africa’s HEIs. The present study adopted the qualitative approach and the critical paradigm. Secondary data was obtained from a larger study of education and emancipation, documenting the university experiences of students from eight diverse universities in South Africa. The data were collected through in-depth interviews with 66 Black African students. In the present study, data were thematically analysed. The theoretical framework that informed data analysis is Tinto’s Student Integration Model (SIM). The interviews that were conducted with the participants produced rich and thick data indicating that the success of Black African students in South African universities is impeded by such factors as language, poor economic background, unsupportive family background, racial discrimination, gender stereotypes, and discrimination. Most participants mentioned that the medium of instruction used at universities, such as English and Afrikaans hindered their success. The findings suggest that high school education inadequately prepares Black African students for university. Furthermore, financial challenges, gender discrimination, homophobia and racism were found to be significant obstacles hindering most participants from studying at university. Informed by these findings as well as the review of extent literature, this thesis proposes a model that will assist universities to minimise dropout rates amongst Black African students. This model obligates institutions of higher learning to put students’ backgrounds at the forefront in every decision that they undertake to maximise the social and academic integration of students and consequently decrease attrition.

Iqoqa.

Lenyuke kakhulu inani labafundi abamukelwa ezikhungweni zemfundo ephakeme eNingizimu Afrika, kumaSouth African Higher Education Institutions (HEIs); noma kunjalo, inani labafundi abaphothulayo nabaphumelelayo liyaqhubeka lincipha, ikakhulukazi kubafundi bebala elimnyama bomdabu base-Afrika. Ngaphezu kwalokho, intsha emnyama yase-Afrika engena enyuvesi ikwenza lokhu naphezu kwezinselelo zokungalingani okukhulu okubonakala ohlotsheni lwezikole ephuma kuzo, izinsizakalo ezitholakala emaklasini nezimo zomnotho. Ukungalingani okunjalo kube nomthelela omkhulu esinqumweni sabafundi sokushiya enyuvesi. Izincwadi ezikhuluma ngendlela abafundi abansundu abaye bazihlanganisa ngayo nabanye kanye nendlela abambalwa ngayo emanyuvesi aseNingizimu Afrika, azitholakali. Ngaphezu kwalokhu, izikhungo zemfundo ephakeme zilwela ukuthola ikhambi elifanele lokunciphisa inani labafundi abashiya phansi izifundo zaseNyuvesi. Ngakho-ke, lolu cwaningo luhlose ukuvala leli gebe ngokusungula indlela entsha engasetshenziswa amanyuvesi ukugcina abafundi abansundu base-Afrika ezikhungweni zemfundo ephakeme, ama-HEIs. Lolu ucwaningo lusebenzise indlela eyikhwalithethivu kanye nepharadaymu eyicritical. Imininingo yokwengeza yatholwa ocwaningweni olukhulu lwezemfundo nenkululeko, olubhala ngezindaba ezithinta abafundi basemanyuvesi abavela emanyuvesi ayisishiyagalombili ahlukahlukene eNingizimu Afrika. Imininingo yaqoqwa lapho kuxoxwa kabanzi nabafundi abangama-66 abansundu base-Afrika. Ocwaningweni lwamanje, imininingo yahlaziywa ngokwezindikimba. Ukuhlaziywa kwemininingo kwenziwa kulandelwa uhlaka lwethiyori kaTinto iStudent Intergration Model (SIM). Izingxoxo ezenziwa nababambiqhaza zakhiqize imininingo eminingi nephusile eveza ukuthi impumelelo yabafundi abansundu base-Afrika emanyuvesi aseNingizimu Afrika ikhinyabezwa yizinto ezinjengolimi, isizinda esingesihle sezomnotho, ukuvela emndenini ongasekeli, ukubandlululwa ngokohlanga, imibono yokucwasa ngokobulili nokucwaswa. Iningi lababambiqhaza lasho ukuthi ulimi lokufundisa olusetshenziswa emanyuvesi, njengesiNgisi nesiBhunu luyayikhinyabeza impumelelo yabo. Okutholakele kukhomba ukuthi imfundo etholakala ezikoleni zamabanga aphakeme ayibahlomisi ngokwanele abafundi abansundu base-Afrika ukuba bakwazi ukulungela inyuvesi. Ngaphezu kwalokho, kutholakale ukuthi izinselelo zezezimali, ubandlululo ngokobulili, inzondo yabobulili obufanayo kanye nokucwaswa kuyizithiyo ezinkulu ezivimbela iningi lababambiqhaza ukuba bafunde enyuvesi. Ngenxa yalokhu okutholakale kulezi zingxoxo nasezincwadini ezihloliwe lapho kwenziwa lolu cwaningo, le thisisi iphakamisa imodeli ezosiza amanyuvesi ukuba anciphise izinga lokuyeka phakathi izifundo kwabafundi abansundu base-Afrika. Le modeli ibophezela izikhungo zemfundo ephakeme ukuba zibeke izizinda zabafundi phambili kuzo zonke izinqumo ezizenzayo ukuze kwandiswe amathuba okubandakanywa kwabafundi ngokwezenhlalo nezemfundo nokuba kuncishiswe inani labashiya izifundo zabo bengakaziphothuli.