Learners’ participation in science fairs has been encouraged on grounds of affording them
opportunities to carry out hands-on practical activities such as scientific investigations oriented
towards inquiry science. However, there has been some debate as to the usefulness of the science
fair to ill-equipped learners in disadvantaged schools as their cultural capital deficits appear to deny
them opportunities to compete on an even keel with learners from historically advantaged schools
(where learners have higher accumulations of all forms of capital) in South Africa. The purpose of this
study was to conduct an exploratory analysis of non-school (background) factors influencing student
participation and success rate at a Regional Expo in South Africa’s annual science fair for learners –
the Expo for Young Scientists. Participation in the Expo is acknowledged to be one opportunity for
learners to experience the highest levels of scientific inquiry. The study was a quantitative analysis of
a convenient sample of 36 schools that participated in the Regional Expo in respect of variables such
as distance from the venue, school type (primary, intermediate, combined or high school) gender
equity, and poverty quintile categories. Findings were that only 5.1% of eligible schools in the region
participated. Distance from the venue was a deterrent for many potential schools. Historically
advantaged schools in quintiles 4-5 (higher socio-economic status) did not only have a superior
participation rate as a measure of equity, but also had a higher success rate as a measure of the
quality of participation. However, not all schools in the so-called upper quintiles 4-5 category
performed well, suggesting that the neglect of scientific investigations or scientific inquiry could be
more pervasive in schools than initially assumed thus giving pre-eminence to home background
factors. The study recommends democratization of participation through decentralization, increased
funding for ICT, laboratory infrastructure, science centers, science fair participation logistics, and
increased technical support for teachers in disadvantaged schools.