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Southern African Rurality in Higher Education
Negotiating the transition to university
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Perception by rural students that they need to ‘adapt’, ‘adjust’ or ‘fit it’,
and for many, the transition from rural areas to HE is challenging:
‘You have to change and the curriculum just stays the same.’
(discussion group, R.U., 2 May 2017, F).
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Other rural students actively resist adaptation:
‘Adapting to the changes means changing my lifestyle - that is
close to impossible.
There is a Xhosa saying that
goes"ungamkhupha umntu ezilalini kodwa awunakuzikhupha iilali
emntwini". This means that even though I'm no longer in the
rurals, the values I got there can never be erased. The education
system here purposely or otherwise favours those who grew up in
such privileged lifestyles and that is of great disadvantage to
rural students…’ (Google Docs, R.U., April 2018, F.)