Abstract
While school dropout rates have long occupied the attention of researchers, the study dealt with the impact of COVID-19 on school dropouts amongst matriculants in an economically marginalised area. The COVID-19 virus resulted in an unprecedented disruption of education systems across the world, necessitating immediate mitigation measures by the Department of Basic Education to ensure continuity in education. While measures were implemented to curb the spread of the virus, schools had to transition from face-to-face classroom learning to online learning and home learning. However, this was not the case for the majority of learners in South Africa, residing in Townships and rural areas, who experience digital exclusion due to structural inequalities influenced by their socioeconomic status. Against this background, this study sought to amplify the voices of female learners, whose learning journey was disrupted by the pandemic. Based on an interpretive qualitative research paradigm, this study investigated the contributing circumstances that resulted in school dropout for Grade 12 learners at Mamelodi High School in Pretoria. Employing purposive sampling, five participants who had experienced educational challenges throughout the pandemic period from 2020 to 2021 were selected to provide detailed descriptions of their experiences. Through exploring the intersection of historical, spatial, class and gendered norms, the study demonstrates how COVID-19 functioned to further compound inequalities, with Black Township female students experiencing compounded vulnerabilities. The study demonstrated how the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated pre-existing structural inequalities for Grade 12 female students in Mamelodi Township through worsening their learning, social and financial vulnerabilities. Furthermore, the apartheid legacy manifested in persistent resource disparities, where the majority of participants' parents did not complete and acquire a matric certificate. All participants experienced digital exclusion, as all participants lacked the necessary devices and internet to partake in remote learning. In essence the study revealed that the education system of South Africa did not appropriately plan for digital inclusion for marginalised learners across the country, directly effecting school disengagement. Additionally, all participants in the study experienced psychosocial challenges, experiencing feelings of hopelessness for the future, loneliness, and depression. Participants revealed systemic support failure, such as a lack of mental health services during the pandemic, and non-availability of community ...