Factors influencing underperformance in Grades 8 and 9: learners' perspectives from Mopani West Rural Education District, Limpopo

Introduction Learner underperformance in Grades 8 and 9 remains a concern in the South African education system, particularly in disadvantaged school contexts. This study explored learners' perceptions of factors influencing academic underperformance in Grades 8 and 9 in the Mopani West Education District, Limpopo, South Africa. The study was guided by Weiner's Attribution Theory, which explains how individuals perceive the causes of success and failure in terms of locus, stability, and controllability. Methods A qualitative approach was employed, using purposive and quota sampling to select 130 Grade 8 and 9 learners from 78 secondary schools. Data were collected through 13 focus-group interviews and analysed thematically. Results The findings identified six major factors contributing to learner underperformance: difficulties transitioning to secondary school, prioritisation of Grade 12 learners, unfriendly and uncomfortable school environments, systematic barriers, family background and socioeconomic factors, and poor foundational reading and writing skills. Learners predominantly attributed their academic difficulties to external factors that they perceived as relatively stable and largely beyond their control. Discussion The study concludes that learners' perceptions of the causes of underperformance are strongly shaped by conditions within and beyond the school environment. It recommends equitable academic support across grades, supportive learning environments, improved teacher assistance, and strengthened literacy development programmes. The findings have implications for schools and the Department of Basic Education in developing interventions to improve learner performance.