The looming target of reaching the UNESCO SDGs by 2030 poses a real challenge to governments in Africa and the global south. The ever-increasing youth unemployment rate and access to educational and economic opportunities render poor communities vulnerable in a post-COVID-19 dispensation. This reality has negative implications for reaching SDG 4, “Quality education for all.”. Hence, our investigation into what constitutes quality community education as a way of increasing the offering. The study draws on elements of social entrepreneurship while employing a multi-theoretical lens to derive meaning from the research. Using a qualitative, case study approach underpinned by interpretivist philosophy, this paper investigated what quality educational programs look like in a South African township context. By conducting three (3) in-depth semi-structured interviews, website content analysis, and observations, the thematic analysis delivered the following findings: Community embeddedness creates social capital; program alignment is a critical factor for ensuring future academic opportunities for the students; community educators need to focus on industry skills transfer to prepare students for jobs of the future; classroom practices should reflect the real world by encouraging students to form partnerships with each other; positive youth development strategies offer a creative conflict resolution alternative to educators as a classroom management approach; regular upskilling and re-skilling of educators are vital for classroom success. Future studies could employ a multi-case study approach or investigate the phenomenon from students’ perspectives. This paper adds to the body of knowledge on what constitutes quality community education in a South African township context.

Authors:
Henry Esau, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, South Africa
Robertson Tengeh, University of Western Cape, South Africa

About the Presenter(s)
Mr. Henry Oswald Esau is an emerging researcher and lecturer at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Cape Town, South Africa. My teaching workload includes undergraduate programs in the marketing and entrepreneurship departments.

Connect on Linkedin
https://www.linkedin.com/in/henry-esau-171215209/

See this presentation on the full schedule – Wednesday Schedule

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