MAKING SENSE OF THE HIGH FAILURE AND DROPOUT RATES AT SOUTH AFRICAN HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS

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MAKING SENSE OF THE HIGH FAILURE AND DROPOUT
RATES AT SOUTH AFRICAN HIGHER EDUCATION
INSTITUTIONS

• P.A.Padmanabhan Nair, Leelakrishna Reddy Sam
  Ramaila
• University of Johannesburg (Doornfontein Campus)

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OUTLINE

• 1. Situation Analysis
• National
• Local (in-house)
• Campus 1 DFC
• Campus 2 APK
• Campus 3 SWC
• 2. Needs Analysis
• 3. Resource Analysis
• 4. Pilot Model
• 5. Further Research and Revision of Model (if
  necessary)
• 6. Revised Model

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SITUATION ANALYSIS

• High failure rates among first year learners in
  higher education institutions due to
  under-prepared learners entering the system.
• Educational wastage due to certain dysfunctional
  schools.
• Unacceptably large numbers and proportion of
  learners drop out of the system each year.
• Higher Education Institutions suffer heavy losses
  with respect to subsidy income, which is
  dependent on throughput rates.
• Cost from government, per enrolled learner who
  fails, runs into millions of Rands.
• Many of those who failed were using bursaries for
  their studies.

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The Facts National

• The unnecessary number of years used by many
  students to complete a degree or diploma.
• This is evident from the national average of the
  throughput rate in Higher Education Institutions
  (HEIs)
• According to the Department of Education, out of
  600 000 in HEIs, 100 000 drop out annually.
• The Council for Higher Education (CHE)
  acknowledges that only 75 000 out of 600 000
  graduated in 1998.

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Throughput Rate at HEIs nationwide
Source Frank Meintjies, Deloitte Consulting
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IN-HOUSE AUDIT

• Study Commissioned by Dean Faculty of
  Engineering
• Study done by P.A.P Nair at ex-TWR February
  2004

• Comparison of the Profile of Learners for
  the 2003 and 2004 intakes
• To establish whether the quality of learners in
  the first-time entry category has shown a
  positive shift from the 2003 intake to the 2004
  intake (First Phase of the Study)
• Identification of any co-relation that might
  exist between the entry profile of learners and
  their performance in First Year courses at ex-TWR
  (Second Phase of the Study)
• Any co-relation that exists, will inform the
  ex-TWR about the need to upscale its entry
  requirements

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METHODOLOGY

• Carry out both macroscopic and microscopic level
  analysis of the characteristics of first-time
  entry learners for the 2003 and 2004 intake.
• Generate (both statistical and graphical)
  comparison indices.

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Sample Used
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• Findings
• First-time entry learners in 2004 have better SG
  symbols in Mathematics and Physical Science than
  in 2003 but not the case with HG symbols.
• English Second Language and First Language have
  slightly better HG symbols in 2004 than in 2003.
• This is clearly an attempt on the part of the
  Department of Education (DoE) to make the matric
  results look good.

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IN-HOUSE AUDIT
At ex-RAU 2000 2001

• The efficiency of South African Universities
  A study based on the analytical review
  technique
• B Taylor G Harris, University of Natal
• Based on South African Post-Secondary Education
  (SPACE) database of 10 prominent universities,
  during the periods 1994 to 1997. The other
  universities did not have their data available at
  the time.

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Efficiency Measures 1997
Findings Ex-RAU secured First or Second Rank in
all measured areas except for Graduation Rate
(total graduates) per 1000 registered students.
This means the throughput rate is a concern which
necessitates innovative remedial model to address
this deficiency. A need for extended
degree/diploma programmes?
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Needs Analysis at DFC June 2005

• A heterogeneous group of First Year learners at
  the DFC was used for the investigation.
• The sample was derived from learners belonging to
  the Faculties of Science, Engineering, Health and
  Art Architecture
• Group consisted of learners from
• Analytical Chemistry, Chemical Engineering,
  Engineering Metallurgy, Extraction Metallurgy,
  Building Science, Architectural Technology,
  Biomedical Technology, Food Technology and
  Environmental Health.
• Learners who were identified through their
  performance level thus far, were having a
  tendency towards failure or dropout
• The group formed a high risk group ideal for
  investigation.

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RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

• An extensive questionnaire covering aspects such
  as
• Academic, Personal and Social constraints, which
  affect learner performance was surveyed among the
  above group of learners

• 82 had Grade 12 national exam
• 4 had IEB
• 8 had other types of exams

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• Majority of learners did Maths and Physical
  Science on Standard Grade with symbols ranging
  from B to G.
• Most of the learners had Biology and English on
  Higher Grade with symbols ranging from B to G.

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Performance thus far in First Year Course

• The semester mark comprising of all test marks is
  a good indicator of the performance level of the
  learners.
• Only 32 had their semester marks in the highest
  range of (41-49).
• Therefore, the majority of these lower achievers
  are exhibiting a tendency to fail or drop out.
• It thus necessitates an investigation of the
  factors which contribute to such a disaster.
• For this reason the learners were asked to list
  the possible reasons for their poor performance.

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• 14 disclosed that they have been suffering from
  constant illness
• 8 suffered due to lack of career guidance at
  school and ended up making the wrong career
  choice
• 8 failed to understand the subject matter due to
  their weakness in language

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• What should the University be doing in order to
  help the students to be successful in their
  studies and avoid failure and dropout?
• Classes should end early so that learners would
  get time to study before going home.
• Provide extra classes.
• Provide counselling for students who have
  problems from home.
• There should be Physics for learners who did not
  do Physics at high school, which must be easier
  than the Physics offered for learners who did the
  subject.
• The university must consult those students who
  are weak and give motivation so that they can
  start believing in themselves and know that they
  can make it.
• Give strict requirements for admission to a
  course.
• Mark attendance register and encourage students
  not to miss lectures.
• Try to make TV programmes like the learning
  channel.

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Options/Plans for the Future, if Fail or Dropout

• Some learners would like to get loans to start
  own business
• There were others who confessed that they would
  like to join a course which they love doing

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FINDINGS

• Root causes for student failure and dropout are
  multi-fold such as
• - Social
• - Academic
• - Inadequately equipped school system
• Results from this investigation could assist in
  preparing concrete proposals to develop sound
  academic models for reducing failure and dropout
  rates in our HEIs
• All our campuses have resources to implement
  suitable models relevant to specific needs of
  various campuses. Needs vary from campus to
  campus.
• Eg. Diploma programmes are traditionally getting
  academically weaker students than degree
  programmes
• Even with all the initiatives and support
  mechanisms, there could be learners who are not
  yet ready to continue their higher education
• Alternate routes such as skills training,
  entrepreneurship, etc for such group.

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Proposed Models based on two Fundamental
Principles

• Subsidy for the Institution
• Credit for the Learner

Direct Route Re-Route(Subsidy
Credit) (Subsidy Credit)
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Triangular Model (Pythagoras Model) in line with
OBE
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Dysfunctional Schools Approach (Reversal of
Triangular Model)
Circular Model(Radii Model)
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Options if Fail or Dropout

• Skills Training for those who are not ready (due
  to failure or dropout) for higher education
• This group can enter into higher education later,
  through the mode life-long learning

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Development and Implementation of an Academic
Model