The research examines the complete motivations of final year high school students in their continued study at university. If we were to relate to a few basic points, the research shows that the most common reason that students do not continue their studies is that they have to or want to work anymore. This statement has remained consistent over time, with 44% of respondents who no longer want to study citing it as their main reason in 2018, 2019 and 2023. On a positive note, learners do not think that going to university will do them any good; up to 5% of secondary school students who do not want to go to university cite this as their main reason.
On the other hand, when we look at those individuals who do want to study, their main reason for continuing to study is that they want to increase their knowledge (40%, or 70% if they did not mention it as their main reason but did mention it).
These figures point to a certain fragility associated with continuing in HE. If HE education is not seen as a necessity to secure better status/job/income, the motivation becomes very fragile and learners may at any time decide otherwise than to extend their knowledge. Universities need to work with this and devise strategies that become highly motivating and fulfilling for their learners to find meaning in their studies.