Exploring Factors that Affect Performance of Grade One Learners in Rural Primary Schools in the Rural Settings of South Africa
Vuyokazi Gxumisa-Madikizela 
& Motalenyane Alfred Modise
Issue: Vol.6 No.6 Article 6 pp. 729-739
DOI: https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.2025666 | Published online 7th May, 2025
© 2025 The Author(s). This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
This empirical paper discusses challenges that affect grade one learners’ performance in rural schools. These learners in rural schools cannot read and write with comprehension. Despite various interventions, they struggle to read and write concepts in their Language of teaching and learning (LoLT). Consequently, they struggle to write creatively and perform in other subjects. This paper was couched into social learning theory, which argues that learning is a social process that comes out of observation, interaction and modelling with others. In this qualitative paper, focus group interviews were conducted with eight participants, comprising principals and teachers. They responded to two questions, which are: What are the challenges affecting grade one learners, and What can be employed to mitigate poor performance in grade one? The findings revealed that grade one learners’ performance in rural schools is highly affected by their background, their relationship with other people, and the school context. In light of the findings, the study suggests that learners’ backgrounds, relationships and the school context should be considered by the state from policy inception, distribution of resources and establishment of support systems. This paper provides a deeper insight into the unique challenges of rural schools and can inform the educational policies regarding the allocation of resources, teacher training, and support services to be provided to rural primary schools.
Keywords: Learners Performance, Rural schools, Reading, Grade one, Teachers
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Vuyokazi Gxumisa-Madikizela grew up in the rural areas of Ludeke Location in Mbizana, Eastern Cape. She did her tertiary education in the deep rural areas, at Shawbury College of Education next to Tsitsa falls in Qumbu. She started teaching at the age of twenty-one, in Ngqongweni primary school where she held her classes under a tree behind a dilapidated muddy classroom. In 1996, she transferred to Zanengqele in Engcobo and eventually moved to Free State where she taught at Loboneng primary school. In April 2002, she was promoted to be a Head of Department in Thusanong primary school, Odendaalsrus. Shortly, in October 2002, she became a Deputy Chief Education Specialist for Whole School Evaluation in Quality Assurance at Free State Head office. In 2007, she became a School Management and Governance Developer in Thabo Mofutsanyane Education District and in 2011. Gxumisa-Madikizela studied Multigrated Teaching Course with Cape Peninsula University of Technology. She became part of the National Team that reviewed the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement to a Multigrade Teaching Toolkit that was meant to cater for the schools that are practising Multigrade Teaching in South African rural schools. Due to rationalisation of schools the rural section was disbanded. To date she is the coordinator of the Whole school Evaluation Section in Lejweleputswa Education District. She did her Further Diploma in Education and BED Honors with Open Learning Group under Potchefstroom University. She also joined the Programme for Masters in Political Governance and Transformation. She obtained the Post Graduate Diplomas in Education and subsequently for Political Governance and Transformation. She later obtained her Master’s in Education at the University of Free State (Former University of Qwaqwa). She believes in empowering herself through studying. She attained various short-term certificates for Financial Management, Project Management, Facilitation Skills, Computer Literacy, Women Empowerment, etc.
Prof. Motalenyane Alfred Modise is an Associate Professor at Central University of Technology (CUT) in Free State Province, former Departmental Manager, former Acting Assistant Dean: Teaching and Learning, former Acting Senior Director – Research Development Support and PG Studies and currently Assistant Dean: Research, Innovation and Engagement at CUT, Free State Province. His research interests include accounting education, transformation and change, pre-service teachers’ development, pedagogical content knowledge of Economic and Management Sciences He is the member of the following committees : Member of Senate, Title Registration Committee, Faculty research committee, Faculty board member, University Research & Innovation ( URIC), Research Forum, Ethical Committee member at CUT, Promotion committee, Community engagement committee ,International committee . He has proven himself as a scholar by presenting papers in the national, international conferences. He published papers in different Journals and supervise master’s and PhD students. He is the Deputy President of Southern Society for Education He is an editor of different Journals and during 2022 editor of special issue hosted by Central University of Technology Free State of South Africa. He contributed two chapters in the Book: Financial literacy for the 21 Century: An Accounting and Personal finance Perspective during 2025.
Gxumisa-Madikizela, Vuyokazi, and Motalenyane Alfred Modise. “Exploring Factors that Affect Performance of Grade One Learners in Rural Primary Schools in the Rural Settings of South Africa,” E-Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences 6, no.6 (2025): 729-739. https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.2025666
© 2025 The Author(s). Published and Maintained by Noyam Journals. This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
