Tanja de Vos, March 2023
It is no secret that the South African education system has been plagued with issues such as inequality, underfunding, a lack of quality teacher training, and high dropout rates, among other things. As a result of these issues, the youth of today, particularly the youth of disadvantaged communities, can suffer from significant psychological effects because of these experiences. The following are some examples of possible psychological effects that might occur:
There is a risk of students experiencing low self-esteem and self-worth when they attend underfunded and under-resourced schools, because of the lack of opportunities and support available to them in those schools.
There may be a lack of motivation and engagement among students when they don’t see the relevance of their education in terms of their prospects or their lives, because of which they may perform poorly in the educational process.
The stress and anxiety that students may experience because of poverty and a lack of basic needs can negatively affect their ability to learn and succeed in school. Students may experience elevated levels of stress and anxiety because of their socioeconomic situation.
Students who experience prominent levels of stress and anxiety may suffer from mental health issues such as depression. This can affect their ability to learn and succeed in school because of stress and anxiety.
Students can develop a lack of trust in the education system and become cynical about their chances of succeeding. This is because of systemic problems such as corruption and inequality, which have led them to lose trust in the system.
Because of poor educational outcomes and a lack of opportunities, students may develop low aspirations for their future. We may not motivate them to pursue higher education or career opportunities in the future due to a lack of opportunities and poor educational outcomes.
It is imperative to keep in mind that these psychological effects may vary from one student to another, according to their individual circumstances. This is due to the situation they are facing now. Several issues remain unresolved in the South African education system, such as inequality, underfunding, and poor teacher training. These issues need to be addressed as well as providing students with the support and opportunities they need to succeed in school.
De Vos Education 