The Role of Educational Institutions in Development and the Economy: A Human Resource Perspective

Abstract

This paper interrogates the contribution of educational institutions to the development of an economy of a community. The paper is both conceptual and empirical in nature within the qualitative research paradigm. Narrative enquiry and interviewing techniques were applied to generate data. Out of a population of 13 public secondary schools in Vhembe District, in Limpopo Province, South Africa, three were conveniently sampled. In each of the three sampled secondary school, a principal and a deputy principal became research participants. Research findings revealed that firstly, there is a connection between schooling, the development of a community and its economy. Secondly, quality schooling has a potential of contributing to the eradication of poverty. Thirdly, loose educational structures struggle to enhance human resource development of a community through schooling. Lastly, inability to translate the Minimum Norms and Standards for Public School Infrastructure (MNSPSI) into tangibles is a problem. The researcher recommends for the prioritisation of rewarding excellence and the punishment of mediocre work for the benefit of developing communities and their economies. Furthermore, the researcher recommends for the declaration of schools as national key points to enable them to impact on an economy of a community.