Over the last decade, the Republic of South Africa has struggled to build an inclusive higher education system and to increase its college participation rates. In this state of transition, rural African youth emerge as a particularly vulnerable student group. As a result of apartheid resettlement and underdevelopment, the remote areas of the former Black homelands represent the poorest sector of South African society. While a growing body of work examines enrollment trends and African student participation writ large, there is a shortage of research specifically on the rural poor.
This study was designed to complement existing work and to lend a qualitative perspective to the problem of college opportunity. Using a grounded theory approach, I explored perceptions of college chances and constraints in a rural Venda village. I gathered data in the natural setting through semi-structured interviews, personal observations and written materials. The themed analysis revealed how the students equated tertiary education with university programs, a preference that eclipsed their awareness and understanding of alternative options. The students also viewed college as an escape from the poverty and government neglect that characterized life in the village. The local grapevine emerged as the most trusted source of information, with older brothers (peers) providing advice about college and influencing the aspirations of the youth. The students' sense of agency in the university admissions process was limited to their performance on the matriculation exams. Institutional application procedures and financial planning were viewed as less important.
The information gathered from students suggested three predominant views of what was possible after secondary school. According to the participants, successful students earned matriculation exemptions and attended universities with full scholarships. Those who earned senior certificates repeated grade twelve because this level of pass was not viewed as valuable. Students who could not pass the exam and proceed to college were forced to stay at home in the village. These stories provided insight into rural student experiences and their perceptions of limited college chances. The results also generated several points for re-conceptualizing student choice, promoting alternative access programs and improving institutional outreach in rural South African communities.
