EXPLORING FACTORS AFFECTING LEARNER MOTIVATION IN TOWNSHIP SCHOOLS

Abstract The word township in this regard includes places that were formally designed for black people during the apartheid period as residential areas and places formally known as homelands in South Africa. This is attested by Tshuma (2023) when he says, “The apartheid planning system resulted in townships (i.e., urban settlements) acting as dormitories for the labor requirements of the mining industry and later manufacturing and services during apartheid.” Added to these areas are the informal settlements where people either occupy the land informally as residential places or are formally allocated by the government as waiting residents. Tshuma (2023) says the following about these places, “New urban townships have emerged characterized by rapid growth, large informal settlements, proximity to metropolitan areas, and their role as the first stop for new rural and cross-border migrants - for instance, Diepsloot in Gauteng and Khayelitsha in Cape Town.” This study aims to explore the specific factors contributing to the lack of motivation among learners in township schools with the hope of contributing towards a solution. The data was collected using qualitative methodology, employing a secondary data collection method. This paper, however, does not suggest that all learners from township schools lack motivation to do their work.