Chapter 4. A Quantitative Representation (and Explanation) of Exceptional Academic Achievement Achievement
4.3 Research Participants’ Responses to the Findings from Phase 1
4.3.3 Financial aid
opportunities than their mothers and grandmothers did, and so did not want to waste these opportunities with mediocre performance or through failure.
The focus group participants provided several explanations as to why they perceived white students (regardless of gender) as being at a relative advantage when it came to exceptional academic achievement. Although this advantage was not explicitly stated when the findings from Phase 1 were presented to the participants, it was probably inferred via the use of white female students as the reference group for the logistic regression, and white male students having the next closest odds of exceptional academic achievement in relation to the reference group.
The focus group participants perceived that white students had “an advantage when it comes to resources” (Lethiwe, FGD 2, 138). Lethiwe further clarified that by resources she meant “having people to help you when it comes to understanding something that you can’t grasp at school.”
Although Khulekani and Nqobile identified that white students also appeared to have more financial resources (and could therefore buy relevant study aids such as laptops and textbooks), they also focused on the “people” resources referred to by Lethiwe above. Khulekani remarked,
“White families; their background is informed by being educated, so there is that support which comes from their families” (Khulekani, FGD 1, 314). Similarly, it was identified that familial support is very important while studying, and this was linked to white students by virtue of “the fact that their [white students’] parents are educated” (Nqobile, FGD 2, 155). Nqobile went on to explain her experience where, “Even if you [an African student] call at home, they don’t
understand what you are talking about; this academic thing of yours. Our parents are not
educated. If they [white students] talk to their parents, there is this relationship” (Nqobile, FGD 2, 157).
funding recipients to perform academically. Secondly, the participants referred to several
hypothesised inferences about students on financial aid, and what these could imply for academic achievement. Thirdly, a theme pertaining to the maladministration of financial aid and the impact of this on academic performance was raised.
During the third focus group discussion, Xolile suggested that students using financial aid did not “care about studying seriously” (Xolile, FGD 3, 84) because these students knew that financial aid would pay for their fees regardless of how they performed academically. While not strictly an accurate assumption, she compared this to students who were self-funded, claiming that the knowledge that their parents were paying for their fees would encourage them to be serious in their studies. In another focus group discussion, Zanele and Hloniphile concurred on the point that students receiving financial aid did not necessarily experience a pressure to excel academically in order to retain their funding. Hloniphile justified her claim by remarking,
…students who are on financial aid are (.) financial aid require only 50%. Like if you do four modules you have to pass two, then you know that you are secure. Even next year you will have that financial aid. But on bursaries they require an aggregate of 65. (Hloniphile, FGD 1, 165)
Although the sentiment regarding financial aid and an absence of pressure to perform were evident across all three focus group discussions, one of the participants did assert that his experience of receiving financial aid was not aligned with these sentiments. He explained that when he did not receive financial aid in the first semester of his first year, he “failed dismally as there was no way to support [him]self” (Mfundo, FGD 3, 128). After receiving financial aid in the second semester, Mfundo indicated that he started doing well academically.
The second theme that was evident from participants’ explanations around the relatively decreased odds of exceptional academic achievement for students on financial aid pertained to the inferred socio-economic status and subsequent access to (financial and educational) resources for students on financial aid. Several of the participants referred to specific educational resources that they thought students on financial aid would struggle to access because of the implied socio- economic status of the family they came from. For example, Johnson identified, “Most students
who are on financial aid (.) tend not to perform well, because they don’t have enough resources in terms of laptops, computers, and other books” (Johnson, FGD 3, 106). Similarly, Nqobile identified that financial aid was limited and could constrain a student’s ability to access textbooks and other study materials. She also added that a student who was using financial aid could come from a background and family situation that was unable to support and inclined “to disturb you in a way that you can’t study like someone who is settled” (Nqobile, FGD 2, 79).
Ntokozo also extended the association between financial aid students and financial/educational resources (e.g., laptops, textbooks), claiming that being funded by financial aid also implied not having adequate support in other areas.
You are there by yourself whereas with the students that are from better backgrounds, I think there is more family support. And I think that support (.) I mean it’s not just about support in terms of money but also in terms of structures (.) I think there aren’t as great structures for students who are on financial aid. (Ntokozo, FGD 3, 82)
Ntokozo’s and Nqobile’s statements implied an association between a lack of financial support with deficits in the structure and nature of family support required for successful studying in higher education. Similarly, Joy also inferred “that most students on financial aid are those who come from poor backgrounds and an education system that is not okay” (Joy, FGD 3, 69). So, in addition to attributing poverty to being on financial aid, Joy also associated financial aid with students from an inadequate schooling system.
Thirdly, a theme of maladministration of the financial aid funding system appeared in two of the three focus groups discussions. It was suggested that financial aid administrative problems contributed to the decreased odds of exceptional academic achievement for students who were receiving financial aid. Both Johnson and Maipfi commented on the lateness with which financial aid was allocated at UKZN, and claimed that this adversely affected students’ stress levels and capacity to focus on their studies.
… because NSFAS sometimes it pays late and some of them they are always stressing even in the middle of the year they’re stressing where will they get money to buy this, when will they get money for food and everything. So they can’t focus very well on their studies but they are focusing on how to get money. So, where I’m
going to eat next week? What I’m going to do? Should I call my parents or what?
That’s just the reason. (Johnson, FGD 3, 108)
The above three explanatory themes suggest that the participants on the focus group discussions were readily able to identify reasons why students on financial aid could be less likely to excel academically when compared to those students who were not on financial aid. In contrast, some of the participants asserted that students on financial aid should and could excel academically.
For example, Sifiso identified that coming from a disadvantaged background (which he inferred would be the case for students on financial aid) should motivate a student to excel. He
questioned the findings from Phase 1 of the study in this regard saying, “So, I don’t understand how the statistics went there” (Sifiso, FGD 2, 67). In agreement with Sifiso, Mayibongwe also indicated, “If you use financial aid you can perform well” (Mayibongwe, FGD 2, 95).
Furthermore, both Mayibongwe and Sifiso responded to Nqobile’s earlier comment around her perceived lack of family support and the tendency for these family situations to distract students on financial aid. “I wouldn’t expect you to feel a pressure from the (.). I would expect them to perform well, really!” (Sifiso, FGD 2, 86). Mayibongwe added, “I can use other people to help me (.) you can tell other people to help you, like your friends if you don’t have money to buy books” (Mayibongwe, FGD 2, 96). In effect, Mayibongwe and Sifiso offered a less sympathetic view towards students on financial aid, choosing rather to suggest strategies that financial aid students should use to cope when they did not have the support of their families.