Racial and Gender-Based Inequality in School Completion in South Africa: An Expression of Socioeconomic Disparity

Socioeconomic disparities reveal unfair imbalances in the distribution of economic, political, and social resources. They stifle social mobility and hinder economic growth and development. This article discusses the expressions of socioeconomic inequalities and their implications. Given the importance of education in addressing socioeconomic disparities, it documents differences in secondary school completion by race and gender in South Africa. The consequences of these educational disparities are highlighted, and interventions are recommended. It uses nationally representative data from General Household Surveys from 2015 to 2019. Cross-tabulation and a chi-square test were used to indicate the inequalities in school completion based on race and sex. School completion, expressed as the proportion of those aged 21 to 23 years who have at least completed upper-secondary education, ranged from 48% in 2015 to 54% in 2019. Black and Coloured racial groups were significantly behind Asian and White racial groups over the years. This highlights a lingering phenomenon that has existed since the apartheid regime and emphasises the socioeconomic disadvantages of the Black and Coloured race. Though females were ahead of males in school completion, the gap was not as pronounced as observed among the racial groups. Concerted efforts to address this issue should be taken to prevent the recurring intergenerational transfer of socioeconomic disadvantage among Black and Coloured people in South Africa.