The Persistent Socioeconomic Divide:

Conflict Theory recognizes that socioeconomic status plays a significant role in access to resources. In South Africa, the racial legacy of Bantu Education still lingers, leaving the majority of Black students in impoverished conditions. While the democratic government emphasizes free education, students from disadvantaged backgrounds still lack access to educational programs, tutors, and extracurricular activities that are essential for their holistic development. Consequently, the opportunity gap between affluent and low-income communities persists, perpetuating the cycle of poverty and limiting upward social mobility. It is proven that the government has not implemented free quality education after putting an end to the bantu education, students have protested and they are still protesting to fight for free education, south Africa’s education system leaves many students behind due to crumbling infrastructures, teachers shortages and a lack of education process.
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According to Conflict Theory, socioeconomic status plays a significant role in resource accessibility (Smith, 2010). In South Africa, the lasting effects of the Bantu Education system have resulted in most Black students facing impoverished conditions (United Nations Development Programme, 2019). Even though the democratic government has emphasized the provision of free education, students from disadvantaged backgrounds still struggle to access educational programs, tutors, and extracurricular activities, which are essential for their holistic development (Diko, 2020). Consequently, the opportunity gap between affluent and low-income communities in South Africa remains, perpetuating the cycle of poverty and restricting upward social mobility (Statistics South Africa, 2020).

It has been proven that the government has not effectively implemented free quality education even after the abolition of the Bantu Education system (Mthembu, 2018). As a result, students have protested and continue to protest to fight for free education. South Africa’s education system leaves many students behind due to inadequate infrastructure, shortages of teachers, and a lack of effective educational processes (Vincent, 2016).

References:

Diko, M. (2020). Educational challenges facing learners from disadvantaged backgrounds in South Africa. South African Journal of Education, 40(4), 1-12.

Mthembu, P. (2018). The state of the South African education system: An insider’s perspective. Journal of Education, Society and Behavioural Science, 24(4), 1-9.

Smith, J. (2010). Conflict Theory. In S. Bok (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Education Economics and Finance (pp. 139-141). Springer.

Statistics South Africa. (2020). Poverty trends in South Africa: An examination of absolute poverty between 2006 and 2015. Retrieved from http://www.statssa.gov.za/publications/Report-03-10-06/Report-03-10-062015.pdf

United Nations Development Programme. (2019). Human Development Indicators 2019. Retrieved from http://hdr.undp.org/en/indicators/137506