Beyond access: rural students’ experiences of their transition and participation in South African higher education

Hellen Agumba · 2025 · African Identities

Summary. Rural students in South Africa face interconnected barriers to higher education success. Geographic isolation limits access to information about educational opportunities. Cultural differences create feelings of exclusion and alienation in classrooms and social settings. Financial constraints affect academic performance and sense of belonging. The study uses Fraser's framework of economic redistribution, cultural recognition, and political representation to show how these dimensions interact, and recommends systemic changes to achieve genuine inclusion.

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@article{agumba-2025-beyond-access-rural-students-experiences,
  title   = {Beyond access: rural students’ experiences of their transition and participation in South African higher education},
  author  = {Hellen Agumba},
  journal = {African Identities},
  year    = {2025},
  doi     = {10.1080/14725843.2025.2577181},
  url     = {https://doi.org/10.1080/14725843.2025.2577181}
}

TY  - JOUR
TI  - Beyond access: rural students’ experiences of their transition and participation in South African higher education
AU  - Hellen Agumba
JO  - African Identities
PY  - 2025
DO  - 10.1080/14725843.2025.2577181
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1080/14725843.2025.2577181
ER  - 

Details

DOI

10.1080/14725843.2025.2577181

Countries

South Africa

Regions

Africa

Categories

education, policy, general-innovation

Added

2026-08-01