A community capitals framework for advancing sustainable development goal #4 through resource mobilization in rural schools

The political transition from apartheid to democracy in 1994 yielded minimal changes in the South African rural educational sector. Growing inequalities and recent social budget cuts have exacerbated resource challenges in rural communities and schools. These challenges are likely to reduce the education budget. To better understand these challenges and to improve the quality of rural education, the study explored the research question: Does the Community Capitals Framework (CCF) offer a feasible developmental approach for resource mobilization at rural schools in South Africa? This article reports and discusses the findings of a study conducted at two rural schools in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Data was collected using a participatory Free Attitude Interviews (FAI) technique. The emerging themes identified at least five significant findings to make a case for a potentially feasible use of the CCF approach to mobilizing resources in a rural context. These findings form the basis of recommendations to offer this approach for consideration in a segment of the South African educational sector long in need of transformation and attaining Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) #4.