Highs, Lows and Turning Points in Marginalised Transitions and Experiences of Noncompletion amongst Pushed Dropouts in South African Higher Education

Against a backdrop of dominant deficit, victim-blaming and class/colourblind theories unequal educational transitions higher education outcomes, this article analyses thematically in-depth narrative interviews with Black working class “dropouts” in South African to explore how group former students narrate make sense their journeys accounts could strengthen efforts achieve just equitable experiences outcomes for from all walks life. Their reveal that, (a) marginalised transitions, despite disrupted sometimes traumatic formative years (lows), transformative habitus community cultural wealth enables them find highs nadir moments; (b) pathways are paved unlikely steppingstones improvising agents transformation who overcome the odds under-resourced schooling experiences; (c) policymakers’ best intentions, student financial aid moderates but does not ameliorate perils being education; (d) as pushed dropouts, they victims colourblind criminalisation failure that naturalises injustice already unjust contexts. This study illuminates social justice potential analysing those often disappear without trace.