profiling learners and teachers at remote rural secondary schools: a case study

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Profiling learners and teachers at remote ruralsecondary schools: a case studyA. Delport a & E. Mangwaya ba Faculty of Education , Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University Port Elizabethb Faculty of Education , Midlands State University ZimbabwePublished online: 18 Dec 2008.

To cite this article: A. Delport & E. Mangwaya (2008) Profiling learners and teachers at remote rural secondaryschools: a case study, Africa Education Review, 5:2, 220-238, DOI: 10.1080/18146620802449456

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Africa Education Review 5 (2)

220

ISSN 1814-6627 (print) 1753-5921 (online)DOI 10.1080/18146620802449456 University of South Africa Press pp 220–238

Profiling learners and teachers at remote rural secondary schools: a case study

A DelportFaculty of EducationNelson Mandela Metropolitan UniversityPort [email protected]

E MangwayaFaculty of EducationMidlands State [email protected]

AbstractThe academic achievements of learners at remote rural secondary schools in developing countries like Zimbabwe and South Africa tend to be low compared to those who attend urban schools. Acknowledging that numerous factors are likely to influence learners’ academic achievement in general, this study focused on two factors, which have been identified by research as particularly significant, namely the specific profile of the rural school learner, as well as the profile of the teacher teaching at these rural schools. Although our actual investigation was in the form of a case study done at only two remote rural secondary schools in Zimbabwe, we believe that these schools resemble most remote rural secondary schools in developing countries, also in South Africa.

Based on our findings, we contend that the poor academic performance of learners at these two remote rural schools can be related to the specific profiles of the learners who attend these schools, as well as the profiles of teachers teaching at these schools. Although our investigation did not reveal significant new insights, it once again empha-sised the continuation of the dilemma of bimodal distribution of education opportunities to the detriment of (mainly black) learners in remote rural areas. Until such time that this problem is successfully addressed, it needs to remain on the education agenda.

Africa Education Review 5(2).indd 220 12/1/08 9:45:39 AM

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Keywords: learner achievement, learner profile, teacher profile, rural secondary schools

Introduction

-

adults (Livaditis, Zaphiriadis, Samakouri, Tellidou, Tsavaras and Xeniditis, 2003: 223).

Yet, although these areas are remote, local people still inhabit some parts of them, and

reason for serious concern. This concern relates to the fact that, although this situation

sombre situation continues, resulting in thousands of learners dropping out of the school

tests, lead several researchers to conclude that, although South Africa has managed to improve access to schooling since the demise of apartheid, it has not managed to provide access to quality


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A Delport and E Mangwaya

factors, including the intrinsic motivation of the learner, the learner’s attitude to learn-ing, the learner’s cognitive abilities, the socio-economic background of the learner,

remote areas in developing African countries in general. Although the actual investi-

sombre results of investigations into the current state of schooling in South Africa

in this article are also transferable to the present South African context.

Assembling profiles for the

-

Family factors

-

-


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less successful educational outcomes. The differences in academic attainment accord-

social competence and academic performance.

Personal factors

In-school factors: the teacher

design of learning programmes that cultivate the ongoing development of competences National Framework for

Teacher Education in South Africa -

-


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expertise and their teaching experience

of learning activities, time management, assessment, discipline and general classroom

schools, make it unavoidable that teachers at these schools are often expected to teach

-

Africa, found strong evidence for disparate achievements of schools in terms of their

in South Africa (2007: 20, 55).

is our contention that such a sketch might shed more light on the particular needs at these schools and assist education planners to implement more effective intervention strategies.


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Research design

(2007: 72).

-

(Morgan, 2007: 73).

-

Smith and Kagee, 2006: 98).


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In order to establish the

-ment in school activities).

academic achievement in order to determine the level of academic achievement at

learners and heads of department.

The -

-


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Data presentation and discussion

Level of current academic achievement

Table 1: Learner academic achievement in both schools in 2003

SCHOOLSUBJECT

Candidates who wrote the

examination

Candidates who passed the

examination

Percentage pass rate

School A School B School A School B School A School BEnglish Language 121 127 19 43 15,70 33,85Mathematics 117 124 23 40 19,65 32,25Science 116 125 43 45 37 36Shona 121 126 71 78 58,67 61,9Geography 116 123 54 51 46,55 44,46History 114 124 54 52 47,36 41,93Commerce 119 127 62 54 52,10 42,51Agriculture 121 122 48 44 39,66 36,06Fashion and Fabrics 61 74 21 29 34,42 38,18

have to pass English in order to pass their ‘O’ level examinations.

-

assumption that, in general, learner academic achievement at remote rural schools is

Profile of the learners

as an impeding factor affecting the overall academic achievement of learners (Marks,


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Table 2: Educational qualifications of parents

Educational qualifications Fathers MothersNone 26 25Primary education 34 38Form 2 15 17Form 4 5 0Form 6 0 0University education 0 0TOTAL 80 80

-

Table 3: Parental occupation

Occupation Fathers MothersPeasant farmers 49 63General hands 17 11Mining 4 0Civil service 10 6TOTAL 80 80

peasant farmers seldom have a regular income, and one can assume that these parents


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the general climate in homes of peasant farmers does not favour academic endeavours.

Table 4: Family size and type

Number of people in family Family type and size Learners0-3 Nuclear (small) 54-5 Nuclear (medium) 156 and above Nuclear (large) 60TOTAL 80

to provide for four or more children, this aspect has serious implications for learner

-

Table 5: Distance travelled to school

Distance travelled to school Learners1-2 km 63-6 km 277-8 km 379 km and above 10TOTAL 80

In addition to impeding factors such as the non-academic orientation of parents and unfavourable home conditions, the remoteness of the learners’ locations also deserves investigation. Table 5 provides an indication of distances learners had to travel to school

-tres to school in the morning, and the same distance back home after school. Of these


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-

Table 6: Grade 7 results of current learners

Subject Numberof

learners

Units per subject

(90 – 100%)

(80 – 89%)

(70 – 79%)

(60 – 69%)

(50 – 59%)

(40 – 49%)

(30 – 39%)

(20 – 29%)

(0 – 19%)

PASS FAIL

English 80 0 0 0 10 28 3 3 10 26Mathematics 80 0 0 1 4 9 8 10 9 39Shona 80 0 5 18 15 22 10 5 7 8General Paper

80 0 0 0 5 13 12 15 10 25


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Teacher profile

-

Table 7: Teacher qualifications

Qualification Teachers‘O’ level + no teacher training 8‘O’ level + certificate/diploma in education 11‘A’ level + certificate/diploma in education 10First degree + certificate in education 3Further degrees, e.g. Masters degree 0TOTAL 32

-

academicno

professional


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Table 8: Teaching experience

Experience in years Teachers0-1 82-3 84-5 146-7 28 and above 0TOTAL 32

learners’ poor academic achievements. In addition, it appeared that teacher retention at

-

-

Conclusion

in most developing countries, including South Africa. Of great concern is our conten-

With regard to


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the research it furthermore became clear that most of the learners’ home conditions

With regard to -

facilitate meaningful academic engagement at home. Our investigation disclosed that

-

Recommendations

-ing countries. Our recommendations are thus aimed at improving the situation at all

Improving learner profile-

-primary schools needs serious


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234

parents of learners currentlythis problem can and should be tackled at macro level. The prevalence of illiterate parents needs to become a national concern and more strategies, such as basic reading

Another problem that needs to be addressed at macro level is the long distances learners

be established in remote rural areas. Governments should also consider subsidised

school, and are also on time for their classes.

Improving teacher profile

makers need to realise that learners at remote rural schools need specialised attention, due to their disadvantaged social and economic situation. Deliberate efforts should be made to attract and retain good and experienced teachers at these schools. Incentives

-


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as teaching and assessment strategies, can be discussed and shared. Special attention

-

Final remarks

these schools. It is our contention that these problems can to a large extent be allevi-

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