Race differences in educational attainment of youth aged 7–18 in post-apartheid South Africa: The role of family structure, resources and school quality

ABSTRACT

The present study uses seven waves of the General Household Survey by Statistics South Africa to examine the role of family structure, resources and school quality in educational inequalities in post-apartheid South Africa. Indians/Asians and whites have an education advantage over Africans and coloureds, and maintain that advantage as they age. About half of the disadvantage of Africans and coloureds is because of family background; very little is because of school characteristics that can be measured in this study. Findings show that the family institution is central in understanding racial inequalities in educational outcomes in South Africa.

Keywords:

• education
• racial inequality
• family background

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Tim B. Heaton

Tim B. Heaton holds a Camilla Kimball chair in the Department of Sociology at Brigham Young University. His research focuses on demographic trends in the family. Research in the United States and Indonesia has focused on trends in and determinants of marital dissolution. He has examined the relationship between family characteristics and children's health in Latin America and Africa.

Acheampong Yaw Amoateng

Acheampong Yaw Amoateng is a Research Professor of Sociology and Family Studies in the School of Research and Postgraduate Studies, North-West University (Mafikeng Campus). His areas of research interest include adolescent and youth development, family formation and dissolution patterns and ‘interracial’ marriages. He is currently working on a project on political participation in sub-Saharan Africa looking specifically at gender and ethnicity.

Mikaela Dufur

Mikaela Dufur is an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology at Brigham Young University. The bulk of her research examines social resources available to children and youth in their families and at their schools. She also studies issues of race and gender in sport. Her research has been published in outlets such as Social Forces, Journal of Marriage and Family, and Journal of Health and Social Behavior.