Key points are not available for this paper at this time.
= 54) of the sample had dropped out before completing secondary school by the fourth wave of the study. School dropout was associated with individual factors; currently engaging in an age-disparate sexual relationship, having had a child, and scoring poorly on the WHO Disability Assessment Schedule. Among the cognitive measures assessed, only planning ability was significantly associated with school dropout; none of the household variables showed a similar link. Pregnancy and child-rearing responsibilities remain the primary reasons cited for school dropout amongst women, affirming associations found in other studies undertaken in South Africa. The association between school dropout and cognition, one of the key components that underly academic performance, has not previously been explored in this context. This research contributes to a limited evidence base by employing longitudinal data and a multi-dimensional approach that includes individual, cognitive, academic, and household-level factors, with a focus on rural and peri-urban settings.
George et al. (Mon,) studied this question.