Evaluating the Influence of Socio-Cultural and Economic Factors on Underprivileged Students’ Experiences at a Rural South African University
Keywords:
student experiences; socio-cultural factors; economic factors; historically disadvantaged institutions; student successAbstract
This study delved into the effects of socio-cultural and economic structures on the university experiences of South African students. Employing a qualitative research approach, the study examined students' narratives from a rural, historically disadvantaged institution at their undergraduate level. Guided by a social realist framework, the study analysed how structural and cultural factors shape students' academic progress and learning journeys. The study found that societal expectations, cultural values, family dynamics, and economic constraints significantly shaped students' decisions, expectations, and approaches to study. While these factors could enable and constrain academic learning, understanding their impact is essential for developing targeted interventions to enhance student progress and well-being in South African higher education. Furthermore, the research highlights persistent disparities in access to resources, such as learning materials and digital tools, faced by students from different socio-economic backgrounds, which hinder their success. The study calls for inclusive strategies and interventions that promote equity, inclusion and sustainable learning opportunities.
https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.24.11.22
References
Akwei, C., Amoako, I., & Damoah, I. S. (2017). The role of technology innovation in shaping student learning experience in higher education. International Conference on Education, Proceedings Development & Innovation, 62–72. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/339252778
Archer, M. S. (1995). Realist social theory: The morphogenetic approach. Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511557675
Archer, M. S. (2000). Being human: The problem of agency. Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511488733
Ashwin, P., Carpentier, V., Marshall, D., & Mccowan, T. (2018). What have we learned about pathways to the public good from South African undergraduate education? https://www.researchgate.net/publication/331638906
Bengesai, A. V., Paideya, V., Naidoo, P., & Mkhonza, S. (2022). Student perceptions on their transition experiences at a South African university offering a first-year experience programme. Journal of Student Affairs in Africa, 10(2). https://doi.org/10.24085/jsaa.v10i2.4084
Bhaskar, R. (2008). A realist theory of science. Routledge. https://uberty.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Roy_Bhaskar_A_Realist_Theory_of_Science.pdf
Boateng, A., Mensah, F. J., Boateng, S., Pillay, P., Chibisa, A., & Mahaye, N. (2025). Developmental path to generalized entitlement in a South African Higher Education Institution. International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research, 24(3), 191–215. https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.24.3.10
Boughey, C., & McKenna, S. (2021). Understanding higher education: Alternative perspectives. African Minds. http://dx.doi.org/10.47622/9781928502210
Bryman, A., & Bell, E. (2016). Business research methods (4th ed.). Oxford University Press. https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=N2zQCgAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PP1&dq=Bryman,+A.,+%26+Bell,+E.+(2016).+Business+research+methods+(4th+ed.).+Oxford+University+Press.&ots=dqNtKSHank&sig=QmEVmcjr01YwH7JNpzE2k-l8AtM
Case, J. M. (2015). A social realist perspective on student learning in higher education: the morphogenesis of agency. Higher Education Research and Development, 34(5), 841–852. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2015.1011095
Danageuzian, H., Barakat, L. B., & El Hage, F. (2025). Designing an education for sustainable development (ESD) curriculum: insights from a semi-structured interview study in Lebanon. Environmental Education Research, 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504622.2025.2489783
Department of Higher Education and Training. (2013). White paper for post-school education and training: Building an expanded, effective and integrated post-school system. www.dhet.gov.za
Dos Reis, K., Venter, A., & McGhie, V. (2019). Are high school teachers and university academics on the same page? A case of the university readiness of business education learners at two schools and two universities. Journal of Education (South Africa), 76, 166–184. https://doi.org/10.17159/2520-9868/i76a09
Eposi, E., & Matarirano, O. (2025). Social reproduction and financial barriers in a South African higher education. Reviews of Management Sciences, 7(1), 39-58. https://doi.org/10.53909/rms.07.01.0265
Faloye, S. T., & Ajayi, N. (2021). Understanding the impact of the digital divide on South African students in higher educational institutions. African Journal of Science, Technology, Innovation and Development. https://doi.org/10.1080/20421338.2021.1983118
Fouché, I. (2025). From recipients to contributors: reimagining curriculum for enhanced student agency. Teachers and Teaching: Theory and Practice. https://doi.org/10.1080/13540602.2025.2528820
Grunwald, G., Kara, A., & Spillan, J. (2025). Gender influence on business students’ expectations for sustainability transformations in higher education: a cross-national study. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-03-2024-0189
Guest, G., Bunce, A., & Johnson, L. (2006). How many interviews are enough?: An experiment with data saturation and variability. Field Methods, 18(1), 59–82. https://doi.org/10.1177/1525822X05279903
Joubert, M., & Sibanda, B. (2022). Whose language is it anyway? Students’ sense of belonging and role of English for higher education in the multilingual, South African context. South African Journal of Higher Education. https://doi.org/10.20853/36-6-5442
Kasese-Hara, M., & Mugambi, J. I. (2021). Experiences of African international students in a South African university – A qualitative study. South African Journal of Higher Education, 35(4). https://doi.org/10.20853/35-4-4065
Kerr, P., & Luescher, T. (2018). Students’ experiences of university life beyond the curriculum. In P. Ashwin & J. Case (Eds.), Higher Education Pathways: South African Undergraduate Education and the Public Good (pp. 216–231). African Minds. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11910/13693
Kurt, I. (2015). Education and social reproduction in schools. European Journal of Social Sciences Education and Research, 5(1), 223-226. https://doi.org/10.26417/ejser.v5i1.p223-226
Lewin, T, & Mawoyo, M. (2014). Student access and success: Issues and interventions in South African universities. The South African Institute for Advancement. https://www.inyathelo.org.za/images/researchreports/summary_student_access_success.pdf
Luckett, K. (2016). Curriculum contestation in a post-colonial context: a view from the South. Teaching in Higher Education, 21(4), 415–428. https://doi.org/10.1080/13562517.2016.1155547
Mafenya, P. N. (2014). Increasing undergraduate throughput and success rate through mobile technologies: A South African distance learning case study. Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences, 5(14), 428–434. https://doi.org/10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n14p428
Malach?Pines, A., & Kaspi?Baruch, O. (2008). The role of culture and gender in the choice of a career in management. Career Development International, 13(4), 306-319. https://doi.org/10.1108/13620430810880808
Maniriho, A. (2024). Satisfaction and academic performance of undergraduate economics students. Cogent Education, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2024.2326707
Mann, S. J. (2001). Alternative perspectives on the student experience: Alienation and engagement. Studies in Higher Education, 26(1), 7–19. https://doi.org/10.1080/0307507002003068
Mansvelt, N., Schenck, R., & Soji, Z. (2022). Students’ conceptualizations of student hunger. South African Journal of Higher Education, 36(5), 219–239. https://doi.org/10.20853/36-5-4725
Matarirano, O., Gqokonqana, O., & Yeboah, A. (2021). Students’ responses to multi-modal emergency remote learning during COVID-19 in a South African higher institution. Research in Social Sciences and Technology, 6(2), 199–218. https://doi.org/10.46303/ressat.2021.19
Matarirano, O., & Musaigwa, M. (2025). Digital inequalities in South African higher education: A multi-level students’ perspective. In N. R. Jere, G. Mwansa, M. Ranga, A. M. Gamundani, & P. B. Maoneke (Eds.), Digital inequality in a developing context: A multifaceted approach (pp. 19–44). AOSIS. https://doi.org/10.4102/aosis.2025.BK494
Mathipa-Mdakane, M. (2025). Fostering research excellence in historically disadvantaged institutions: Policy interventions [Policy brief]. www.hsrc.ac.za
Matsiale, C. M., & Chale, J. K. (2024). The complexity and uncertainty of elderly care within the African Kinship System: A contribution to medical anthropology. International Journal for Research Trends in Social Science & Humanities, 2(5), 387–401. https://doi.org/10.61463/ijrtssh.vol.2.issue5.112
Mkhize, J. S., & Ramrathan, L. (2021). Cultural signals in understanding first-year student engagement: How can universities become more culturally sensitive? The case of a rural South African university. South African Journal of Higher Education, 35(3), 107–125. https://doi.org/10.20853/35-3-3878
Mlambo, D. N., Saul, T., & Buys, T. (2024). South African higher education 30 years into democracy (1994–2024): Challenges, opportunities, and future prospects. International Journal of Higher Education, 13(3), 10–17. https://doi.org/10.5430/ijhe.v13n3p10
Mlambo, V. H., Mlambo, D. N., & Adetiba, T. C. (2021). Expansion of higher education in South Africa: Problems and possibilities. Journal of Sociology and Social Anthropology, 12(1–2), 30–40. https://doi.org/10.31901/24566764.2021/12.1-2.363
Mlambo, V. H., & Mpanza, S. (2024). Exploring the challenges in higher education in South Africa: A comprehensive literature review. Alustath Journal for Human and Social Sciences, 63(3), 22–40. https://doi.org/10.36473/ujhss.v62i4.2261
Mogashana, D., Basitere, M., & Ndeto Ivala, E. (2023). Harnessing student agency for easier transition and success: The role of life coaching. Journal of Student Affairs in Africa, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.24085/jsaa.v11i1.4206
Moosa, M., & Langsford, D. (2021). “I haven’t had the fun that is portrayed”: First-year student expectations and experiences of starting at university. Journal of Education (South Africa), 83, 127–145. https://doi.org/10.17159/2520-9868/i83a07
Motsabi, S., Diale, B. M., & Van Zyl, A. (2020). The role of social support in the persistence of first-year first-generation African students in a higher education institution in South Africa. South African Journal of Higher Education, 34(4). https://doi.org/10.20853/34-4-3486
Mukumbang, F. C., Kabongo, E. M., & Eastwood, J. G. (2021). Examining the application of retroductive theorizing in realist-informed studies. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 20. https://doi.org/10.1177/16094069211053516
Mulaudzi, L. (2024). Evaluating impact: South Africa’s e-education white paper on digital equity and post-COVID education leadership. Cogent Education, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2024.2415749
Naicker, A., Singh, E., & van Genugten, T. (2022). Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL): Preparedness and experiences of South African students. Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 59(5), 499–510. https://doi.org/10.1080/14703297.2021.1895867
Naidoo, L., & van Schalkwyk, I. (2021). Pathways to academic success of disadvantaged undergraduate university students from a high-risk community in the Western Cape. South African Journal of Higher Education, 35(4), 180–204. https://doi.org/10.20853/35-4-4175
Naudé, L., & Breshears, D. (2025). It has given us a title: Identity-transitions in first-generation students at a South African university. Journal of Education, 97, 86–108. https://doi.org/10.17159/2520-9868/i97a05
Nekhubvi, V., Sinthumule, O., Zitha, I., Mukhodobwane, R., & Mulaudzi, T. (2025). Effects of students' socio-economic status on academic performance: a case of first-year students at a South African university. International Journal of Business Ecosystem & Strategy (2687-2293), 7(2), 414–421. https://doi.org/10.36096/ijbes.v7i2.758
Ngqulu, N. (2018). Investigating the adoption and the application of learning analytics in South African Higher Education Institutions (Heis). https://www.researchgate.net/publication/373861080
Ntini, P., & Kappo-Abidemi, C. (2025). The synergy between educational qualification levels and youth employability: The case of Kanyamazane, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa. International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research, 24(3), 758–784. https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.24.3.36
Payne, S. S. C. (2023). Equalization or reproduction? “Some college” and the social function of higher education. Sociology of Education, 96(2), 104–128. https://doi.org/10.1177/00380407221134809
Ravhuhali, F., Nendauni, L., Sikhwari, T. D., Lavhelani, N. P., Dama, N. G., Matodzi, T., & Manyage, T. (2022). A self-determination theoretical approach into survival strategies of on-campus and off-campus students from low-income families. South African Journal of Higher Education, 36(3), 231–248. https://doi.org/10.20853/36-3-4658
Saunders, M., Lewis, P., & Thornhill, A. (2019). Research methods for business students (Eighth). Pearson. https://www.pearson.com/se/Nordics-Higher-Education/subject-catalogue/business-and-management/Research-methods-for-business-students-8e-saunders.html
Sayer, A. (2000). Realism and social science. Sage. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781446218730
Stutchbury, K. (2022). Critical realism: an explanatory framework for small-scale qualitative studies or an ‘unhelpful edifice’? International Journal of Research & Method in Education, 45(2), 113–128. https://doi.org/10.1080/1743727X.202
The IRIS Center. (2012). Classroom diversity: An introduction to student differences. https://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/module/div/cresource/q2/p06/#content
Van Zyl, A. (2016). The contours of inequality: The links between socio-economic status of students and other variables at the University of Johannesburg. Journal of Student Affairs in Africa, 4(1). https://doi.org/10.14426/jsaa.v4i1.141
Van Zyl, A., Dampier, G., & Ngwenya, N. (2020). Effective institutional intervention where it makes the biggest difference to student success: The University of Johannesburg (UJ) Integrated Student Success Initiative (ISSI). Journal of Student Affairs in Africa, 8(2). https://doi.org/10.24085/jsaa.v8i2.4448
Xulu-Gama, N., & Hadebe, S. (2022). Language of instruction: A critical aspect of epistemological access to higher education in South Africa. South African Journal of Higher Education, 36(5). https://doi.org/10.20853/36-5-4788
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Obert Matarirano, Cuthbert Muza
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
All articles published by IJLTER are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial No-Derivatives 4.0 International License (CCBY-NC-ND4.0).
