Middle-class school choice: a case study of selected private Catholic schools, Johannesburg

Abstract

Tracking the size and shape of the black middle class post the advent of democracy in 1994 is essential to determine if South Africa is becoming a more racially equal society. In this regard, exploring access to quality education is important. As is well known, apartheid education was sub standard for people of colour, so improving quality was the goal for which the post-apartheid government needed to strive. However, even if every child in every former white school is a person of colour, there would be many unaccommodated learners due to increased population growth. Thus, demand for basic education in South Africa outstrips supply. Additionally, quality education has been commodified: only available to those who can pay for it. School choice in South Africa has accorded the majority of middle-class black African parents an exit option away from historically black African schools. Consequently, tracking enrolments in former white schools by race will, essentially (with some exceptions), be tracking the black middle class’ access to quality basic education. This study therefore examined parental school choice with respect to selected private Catholic schools in Johannesburg. The study was based on interviews with parents, learners, educators and school management of these schools. The study reveals an emerging trend of the flight from traditionally black African schools to private education by the black African middle class. This study thus sets out to engage with that segment of the black middle class who have used the right of school choice to enrol their children in private Catholic schools. The study reveals that educators interviewed felt that religion and ethos attracted parents to Catholic schools, whereas parents focused strongly on academic quality. Interesting too, are the skewed language and geographical profiles of the learners. The geographical profile, in particular, highlights just how important commuting is in terms of accessing quality education. However, the commute presents additional challenges. By capturing the voices of educators and learners the study found unreported personal safety and bullying issues linked to the school commute. Educators drew a direct link between discipline and the commute and learners raised issues of the early rise related to commuting and the safety of commuting, school management did not think that discipline issues related to the commute nor did parents report commuting safety as an issue for learners. Thus, while black middle-class learners can access quality education, it comes at significant financial and personal costs as cited above. Accordingly, and in the long term, the root causes of the commute and commodification of education must be addressed if access to quality education in South Africa is to be achieved. This study thus sets out to engage with that segment of the black middle class who have used the right of school choice to enrol their children in private Catholic schools.