Capability theory, school dropout, exclusion and inclusion. The case of Youth Care School.

Abstract

The study was prompted by the need to look at alternative options to mainstream education for learners who are too old for their grade, who have opted out of the education system but find themselves wanting to re-access the education system. Mainstream schooling seems a difficult option for many learners who would like to complete their basic education but find that they have problems fitting in the multi-age classroom. If they are too old for their grade, they are at risk of dropping out. Following a review of the literature around access, re-access, over-age, dropout, exclusion, inclusion, capability and a methodological approach to the study, the analysis will focus on the Youth Care School, a school for age-inappropriate learners as a form of intervention. This is a day school operating independently from the Western Cape Education Department, taking on learners who are too old for their grade, who would otherwise be on the streets. The theoretical perspective of the study will focus on the capability theory and alternative schools as forms of capability development.