'Choosing' trade schools

Abstract

"Choosing" Trade Schools is an ethnographic research in which an illustration and evaluation of the factors that influence girls in "choosing" to go to Trade Schools is provided. The study was carried out in a girls' Area Secondary School during the scholastic year 1991-1992. The research method used was the Grounded Theory methodology as suggested by Glaser and Strauss (1967). Various interesting points emerged from this study. The popularity of Trade Schools with Secondary School students is on a continuous increase. The study also shows that the "choice" in which the girls are engaged can merely be called a "choice" because of two factors. The first being the fact that the option which the girls are being offered is too limited to be called a "proper" choice. Secondly, the data collected shows that there were various factors which influenced the girls in their "choice11 • Among these factors one finds gender identity. social class. influence exerted by teachers, failure in schooling, as well as work and future aspirations. Therefore within this case the term, "channelling" rather than "choosing" would be more appropriate.