SCHOOL DROPOUT RATE PROMPTS INVESTIGATION

The national education department is to investigate the reasons for
the worrying number of pupils who drop out of high school.

The department's directorgeneral, Duncan Hindle, says concern for
pupils who do not attend schools has led the department to begin
compiling statistics on pupils who drop out of schools every year.

According to high school principals in Nelson Mandela Bay, among the
reasons for pupils dropping out is the difficulty in adapting to the
new Grade 10 curriculum, which was implemented in January.

A "popular drug culture" among teenagers also kept pupils away from
school, principals said.

Preston Geswint, deputy principal of Masiphathisane High school in
Motherwell, said on average 10 pupils a grade from Grades 8 to 12
dropped out every year. "Pregnancy is a big problem, particularly in
Grade 12. Some of the pupils come back after a year or two, but the
majority stay out and rather look for work."

KwaMagxaki High School Principal Mwezi Qomfo said: "Our pupils
compare us as teachers to druglords, who obviously make more money
and they choose that lifestyle rather than pursuing a formal
education and leading a normal life."

Qomfo could not give statistics on how many pupils dropped out each
year, but said pupils left after Grade 8 as some found it difficult
to cope with the new curriculum.

KwaZakhele High School principal Mkhuseli Khungwayo said pupils
generally found the new Grade 10 curriculum "too difficult" to adapt to.

"It is a new syllabus that needs total dedication, but unfortunately
pupils do not put in much effort. These children come from
single-parent families where they are not disciplined and it is
difficult for us to enforce discipline because it is a foreign
concept to them."

Khungwayo said drugs and cellphone pornography, which lead to
pregnancies, were problems that caused pupils to drop out of his school.

Tinarha High School principal Siyabonga Mafa said: "I cannot give
accurate statistics on how many pupils dropped out this year, but I
know that we have quite a number of cases and the reasons are
similar -- poverty, difficult to deal with.

The national department called for parties interested in doing the
research to submit tenders by last week. Department spokesman Lunga
Ngcengelele said the research would entail finding reasons and
solutions to the dropout problem.

However, he said, the department had done enough to equip teachers
with skills to teach pupils the new curriculum.

"We have spent time and resources to train teachers all over the
country to deliver the new curriculum. It is up to the teachers to
make the curriculum more interesting for pupils. It is interactive
enough and teachers must find innovative ways to teach."

Ngcengelele said when there was a "reasonable suspicion" that pupils
were carrying drugs at school, teachers had a right to search them.
"But that should be done in a dignified way that maintains the
pupil's respect.

"In cases where pupils resist, the school should involve school
governing bodies, parents and even the police."