Helping Disadvantaged Students: Findings from the Thuthuka Programme

Abstract

Drawing on social closure theory, this study achieved a deep understanding of the perceptions and experiences of the first cohort of candidates passing through the Thuthuka support programme. Using semi-structured interviews as part of a qualitative approach, currently prevalent modes of professional closure were considered by taking the backgrounds of these students into account, together with their perceptions of the accounting profession. Their views on whether the Thuthuka programme as an intervention had been successful in removing post-apartheid professional closure were determined by taking into account the Thuthuka students’ readiness to sit for professional examinations and to enter the workplace. The findings of the study suggest features that could be considered in support programmes intended for socio-economically disadvantaged students to facilitate their entry into a restrictive and restricted market.

Key Words:

• Socio-economically disadvantaged students
• Thuthuka
• social closure
• professional closure
• South African chartered accountants
• transformation
• higher-order skills
• communication skills
• information technology skills
• accounting education

Notes

1 Since 2013, QE I has been replaced by the Initial Test of Competence (Part I), and from 2014 onwards QE II will be replaced by a professional examination (Part II) (SAICA, 2010), but the participants in this study were not exposed to these changes.