Reasons for Leaving School and Alcohol Use Among Out of School Youth in South Africa

Abstract

After students drop out of school, their alcohol use may vary according to the reason for dropping out. In this paper, out of school youth (OSY) are those between 13–20 years old, have not completed their schooling, and have not enrolled in secondary or high school for the current academic year. OSY are at heightened risk of alcohol use. This study examined the relationship between reasons for leaving school and alcohol use, taking into account gender differences. Survey data from 4222 OSY (mean age = 17.4 years, SD = 1.9; males = 59.4%) were analysed using ordinal regression. Leaving school for “not having enough money to pay for school fees” was associated with more alcohol consumption, among females living specifically in rural areas of Gauteng. However, in urban areas of Kwazulu Natal and Mpumalanga, females who left school for the same reason as their rural counterparts were less likely to consume alcohol in the past month. Males were more likely to consume higher levels of alcohol if they reported leaving school due to making someone pregnant, but only when they resided in peri-urban areas. Understanding the relationship between reasons for leaving school and alcohol use may give us insight into the profile of school dropouts at risk for alcohol use. This information is useful for intervention development across the school, home and community.

Substance abuse among high school learners in a rural education district in the Free State province, South Africa

“…In the context of schooling, substance abuse has been significantly associated with poor academic performance, 19 which often results in dropping out of school. 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 The perceptions that rural areas experience less substance abuse among learners often result in inadequate attention being paid to such areas. With the precise intention of expanding substance abuse studies to areas other than cities, the purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of substance abuse, as well as explore the associations between substance abuse and a range of demographic variables among learners in a rural school district of Free State Province, South Africa.…”

Recognizing the Status, Needs, and Challenges of Alternative Learning System Students in a Rural District

“…Lastly, based on the SDG Indicator on poverty, the respondents are rural poor who fall below the official poverty threshold (RA 8425). Desai (2019) found that financial difficulties were a reason for leaving school while the gender revealed that most ALS students are male, the latter are more likely to drop out from school. In many countries, boys repeat grades more than girls and are at greater risk of failing to complete their education and dropping out.…”

A study Comparing Text-Based WhatsApp and Face-to-Face Interviews to Understand Early School Dropout

“…Early school leavers are considered a hidden population, with no existing register or database of adolescents once they drop out. Participants were recruited from four urban communities in the Western Cape province in South Africa, due to the high percentage of early school leavers in this region (Desai et al, 2019). Early school leavers were defined as individuals aged between 13 and 20 years who had not completed their schooling or obtained their national senior certificate, and who were not currently attending school.…”