It is imperative to note that the study reported on attempted to reimagine a link between underachievement and attrition in curriculum implementation. The contextual factors that affected achievement and resulted in attrition were worth further scrutiny. The study further reported the results of a pilot study conducted in the Western Cape, South Africa. The effects of learner underperformance fuelling attrition rates were examined across the 10 different circuits of two districts in the area. Both qualitative and quantitative techniques of data collection were employed and data were analysed using descriptive and relational statistics with Pearson product correlation coefficient and regression analysis. It became evident that achievement costs, although difficult to quantify, are significant at schools, district and provincial levels. It was also noted that underachievement of Grade 12 learners had a bearing on the external factors of youth unemployment, poverty and long walking distance to school resulting in higher attrition rates. Only a handful of the Department of Basic Education officials pointed out that both teachers and learners view problems on different paradigms. It was further recommended that the Ministry of Basic Education should critically examine problems besetting Grade 12 learners and institute relevant policies to avoid future rippling effects.