Reproducing Inequality in the South African Schooling System: What Are the Opportunities?

Abstract

The South African Ministry of Education has made significant progress in reducing inequality between schools; however, such inequality persists. Students from wealthier households that are able to meet their financial obligations attend well-resourced schools that are characterised by high-quality education. This chapter critically examines issues of equality in education within the framework of social justice, using theories of Sen and Bourdieu. Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2015 Grade 9 data were used (HSRC, 2015) with particular attention to variables that highlight Bourdieu’s forms of capital, and capabilities as mentioned by Sen. Special reference was made to the TIMSS 2015 contextual framework. The analysis used a hierarchical linear modelling technique which is uniquely able to differentiate between variation within and between schools, indicative of inequalities between and within schools.