OPINION: In tough times, the government should spend more on reducing school dropout rates
In tough economic times, public funds should be spent where it will make the most difference in the short and long-term. Reducing the school dropout rate would help to maximise the value of young people in building the prospects of our nation, writes Merle Mansfield One of the key challenges of building a successful advocacy campaign to reduce the rate of school dropouts is that the problem is so pervasive in South Africa that it seems normal in many communities. You don’t have to search far to find someone who has dropped out of school. In Grassy Park, for example, our outreach team spoke to Brandon* – a Grade 10 learner who lives in a two-bedroom house with three of his cousins, all of whom dropped out of school. “The reason I choose to stay in school is becauseRead More →