Towards the Realization of Sustainable Development Goal 4 in South Africa: Learner Migration and its Repercussions on Rural Schools

Abstract

Abstract

South Africa, like many other countries, is committed to achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. SDG 4, which calls for “ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting opportunities for lifelong learning for all”, is plagued with challenges in rural schools of South Africa. This paper unpacked the phenomenon of learner migration and its associated challenges in South African rural schools, hindering progress towards the realisation of SDG 4. 30 years into democracy and 10 years after the SDGs Agenda 2030 were established, South African rural schools are still far behind in achieving SDG 4. Rural schools in South Africa are faced with distinctive challenges such as, inter alia, learner migration, poor performance, and resource shortages, in their pursuit of quality education. This paper anchored a Push-Pull Theory as the framework analysis and adopted a qualitative desktop-based research method, as it relied heavily on existing literature. The data acquired from literature were analysed qualitatively using thematic content analysis, upon which various themes were formulated. The findings revealed that the challenges of inconsistent curriculum implementation, teacher shortages, inadequate infrastructure, and the psychosocial impact are the major causes of learner migration. This paper concluded that these challenges impeded the realisation of SDG 4 by perpetuating educational inequalities and hindering the provision of quality education, and delay infrastructure development in rural schools.

Keywords: learner migration, challenges, Push-Pull Theory, rural schools, Sustainable Development Goal 4, South Africa