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The persistent lack of resources in Community Learning Centres (CLCs) and its impact on educator morale, teaching quality, and learner engagement remains a serious concern that has not been sufficiently explored. This qualitative study seeks to address that gap by drawing on data collected through semi-structured interviews and observations involving nine educators and three centre managers from three Johannesburg-based CLCs in Gauteng Province, South Africa. Thematic analysis revealed key challenges, including shortages of teaching materials, limited access to technology, poorly maintained facilities, and inconsistent administrative support. These constraints not only hinder effective teaching but also contribute to educator absenteeism, low morale, and burnout. Using Christopher Hood’s Public Management Theory, the study interprets these institutional challenges within broader structural and systemic limitations. The findings further indicate that weak infrastructure, inadequate funding, and limited professional development opportunities undermine the capacity of educators and managers to deliver quality teaching and learning. The study recommends that fair and strategic resource allocation is essential for improving teaching quality and learner outcomes. A coordinated response is required, including urgent infrastructure upgrades, sufficient funding for materials and digital tools, stronger centre-level communication, ongoing professional development, and stricter policy enforcement. This research contributes to the existing body of knowledge by highlighting how resource inadequacies in adult education settings erode both teaching efficacy and educational equity.
Maceke et al. (Wed,) studied this question.