RSE4801
Assignment 2 2024
Unique Number: 705037
Due Date: 3 July 2024
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, BACKGROUND ON THE PROBLEM OF LEARNER APATHY/ALIENATION
Learner apathy and alienation are critical issues in contemporary education
systems, including in South Africa. These phenomena are marked by a lack of
engagement, enthusiasm, and motivation among students, leading to adverse
educational outcomes such as low academic performance, increased
absenteeism, and higher dropout rates. In the South African context, these
problems are particularly pronounced due to the nation's unique socio-political
history and ongoing socio-economic challenges.
South Africa's education system is profoundly shaped by its apartheid history,
which institutionalized racial segregation and provided vastly unequal
resources to schools depending on race (Spaull, 2015). Despite the end of
apartheid in 1994, lingering inequalities persist, manifesting in stark disparities
between schools in affluent areas and those in impoverished townships and
rural regions (Van der Berg, 2020). These inequalities contribute significantly to
the problem of learner apathy and alienation. Many students in under-resourced
schools face inadequate infrastructure, lack of learning materials, and
overcrowded classrooms, which can make the learning environment oppressive
and disempowering (Smit, 2018).
Socio-economic challenges further exacerbate learner apathy and alienation.
High levels of poverty, unemployment, and social instability prevalent in many
South African communities create an adversarial backdrop for students. The
interplay between socio-economic status and educational engagement is well-
documented (Van der Berg, 2016). Learners from deprived backgrounds often
grapple with additional responsibilities at home, nutritional deficiencies, and
inadequate learning environments. This compounded stress detracts from their
ability to focus on and invest in their education, resulting in heightened
absenteeism and eventually, dropouts.
The educational environment and the quality of teacher-student relationships
also play a pivotal role. A significant number of South African schools are
characterized by overcrowded classrooms, limited resources, and a lack of
adequately trained teachers (Department of Basic Education, 2018). Such
conditions create oppressive learning environments where individual attention
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