What is most Ilkely the author's reason for including the following statistic (paragraph 7)? According to figures quoted by the South African Institute of Race Relations in its 1963 journal, approximately forty percent of African children in the age group between seven and fourteen do not attend school. A. To support the claim that Africans do not have the same access to education as whites in South Africa B. To explain that African schools provide a lower quality of education than white schools C. To support the fact that African students pay more for schooling D. To explain the effects of school violence on attendance.

The statistic indicating that approximately forty percent of African children aged seven to fourteen do not attend school is most effectively used to highlight disparities in educational access between different racial groups in South Africa during the apartheid era. **Option A** directly addresses the inequity in educational opportunities faced by African children compared to their white counterparts. During the 1960s, South Africa was under apartheid, a system that enforced racial segregation and inequality, particularly in education. By presenting this statistic, the author likely aims to underscore the systemic barriers that prevented a significant portion of African children from accessing education, thereby supporting the broader claim of unequal educational opportunities based on race. **Answer:** A. To support the claim that Africans do not have the same access to education as whites in South Africa