Interventions to Mitigate Attrition Rates in a Developing Country, South Africa

Education is regarded as a tool that is used to change the world. Institutions such as the United Nations Education Science Culture Organisation (UNESCO) were established on the premise of how important education is for individuals, organisations, societies, and the world. UNESCO is a specialised agency of the United Nations (UN) for promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences, and culture. The high attrition rate from higher education institutions is still a challenge and concern, especially in South Africa as one of the developing countries. Various factors for high attrition rates were identified, namely lack of motivation or desire to complete the qualification or a course, lack of time, insufficient prior knowledge, lack of support, and feelings of isolation among others. Despite the challenges, education is a huge investment, and the initial investment in education represents above a quarter (25%) of the eventual total educational cost. The high attrition rates suggest that the initial investment made in education is not fully realised as should be. Some of the consequences of high attrition rates are poor achievements of world peace and security aspirations. Various interventions for mitigating attrition rates do not necessarily achieve the desired results. Governments and other agencies committed a lot of resources to mitigate some of the challenges associated with attrition rates. Despite the commitments, attrition is high in many countries, especially in developing countries such as South Africa. The number of people not in education, employment, or training (NEET) is at a constant increase. Students who complete tertiary education are concerningly below targets and do not commensurate with the investment made in education. The aim and objectives of the study were to reignite the discussion about attrition rates in education given its huge investment. The study analysed the available literature, current reports, and some of the policy interventions that were developed and implemented to mitigate attrition rates. The study concluded that all parties to education must be committed to the available interventions, especially students.