Explaining the Understanding of Male High School Students in Gerash Regarding the National University Entrance Exam and Investigating Its Role in Achieving Educational Justice from a Legal Perspective
Keywords:
National Entrance Exam , High School Students , Thematic Analysis , Gerash , Lived Experience., educational justice.Abstract
This study aimed to explore the lived experiences of final-year male high school students in Gerash regarding the national university entrance exam and their perceptions of its role in educational justice. The research employed a qualitative phenomenological design. Participants included 15 male students in their final year of high school in Gerash who intended to take the national university entrance exam. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s six-phase thematic analysis framework. NVivo software was used to code and organize the data. The analysis revealed four main themes: psychological stress and anxiety, unrealistic expectations of success, influence of social and familial environments, and efforts toward self-efficacy. Students perceived the exam as a complex, emotionally charged experience that shaped their identity and future. They also highlighted educational inequities and unequal access to resources, which weakened their sense of justice. The findings suggest that the national entrance exam functions not only as an academic assessment but also as a social structure that challenges educational justice. Understanding students’ lived experiences can provide a basis for revising educational policies and designing effective psycho-social interventions.
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