Swimming Against the Tide: Resource Mobilization and its Implications for Rural Schools of South Africa

In a developing country like South Africa, the quality of education has a pivotal role in eliminating poverty and bringing about economic transformation. This constitutes the central goal of the National Development Plan. However, research has consistently demonstrated that providing quality education is linked to the availability or the absence of resources in South Africa. Therefore, in rural communities where resource scarcity is prevalent, the goal of quality inclusive education for all remains elusive and impossible to achieve. Driven by this challenge, in this study, we elicited insights from various stakeholders in a rural community about how they mobilize resources or can enhance resource mobilization in their context. We adopted a qualitative research approach, employing participatory methodologies such as transect walks, SWOT analysis and photovoice to engage the participants on what they described as resources in their rural context and how these resources could be mobilized. The findings presented three sets of capital under which resources that may drive the provision of quality education can be housed. These are human capital, cultural capital, and social-organizational capital. Based on the findings, we argue that the dominant discourse that rural communities lack capital is a “half reality” and that the challenge is the lack of awareness of what is available and how it can be harnessed to enhance the provision of quality education. We therefore recommend focused approaches to resource identification and mobilization.