Merle Mansfield, Program Director of the Zero Dropout Campaign, speaks to SAfm host Stephen Grootes about the impact of the pandemic and school closures on school dropout.

Research done by Stats SA for 2021 shows that there has been an increase in dropout particularly among older learners. "3 out of ten pupils aged 18 years old and 4 out of ten pupils aged 19 years old have dropped out of school," says Mansfield.

Mansfield explains that without concerted efforts to re-engage learners and implement accelerated catch-up programmes the knock on effects of the pandemic and school closures will continue to be felt down the line.

New research shows that there has been an increase in school dropout during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Zero Dropout Campaign