Modelling Multiple Stakeholder Approach to education services improvement: a case study of the National Education Collaboration Trust in South Africa

This thesis explores the concept and practice of a Multiple Stakeholder Approach (MSA) to education improvement in South Africa. An MSA is understood as a collaboration between non-state actors, and in some cases with the state, to advocate for or implement development initiatives in general and in education interventions in particular. The National Education Collaboration Trust in South Africa is the organisation studied as an example of the MSA. The study uses a conceptual framework drawing from various theories including network theory, social capital theory and organisation theory as well as a review of the relevant literature to examine the NECT in South Africa. It is based on a qualitative research approach with primary data collected through in-depth interviews with key stakeholders and members of the NECT including the NECT staff, founding members and the actor groups comprising the state, unions, funders and civil society. This is complemented by a review of relevant documentary data. The data is analysed using a thematic analysis approach to answer the main question concerning the characterisation and operationalisation of the MSA and sub-questions which are: Why have actor groups in education joined the NECT network, how do the actor groups in the NECT network experience their engagement with each other, and how is the NECT network managed by the secretariat? In relation to Research Question 1, the study finds that the pre-existence of social capital, national heritage, and organisational ideations which promote networking explain why the actor groups joined the NECT network. Research Question 2 reveals that once the actor groups joined the NECT network, their engagements were informed by two categories of ‘engagement drivers’ which are either observed by all or some actor groups, depending on their organisational ideations, power and network positions. In response to Research Question 3, the study finds that the NECT secretariat managed the NECT network of actor groups in two ways aimed to achieve two primary organisational objectives: managing funding contracts to ensure financial sustainability and managing educational programming which involved keeping the design and implementation of educational programmes in balance amid multiple, often contradictory actor interests and ongoing actor group contestations to influence the programming. The study contributes knowledge about the operationalisation of the multiple stakeholder approach in South Africa by studying the NECT, research which has not been conducted as yet. Furthermore, the study adds to the global literature about education governance and the operationalisation of non-commercial Public-Private Partnerships. The study also contributes to knowledge by proposing a model on how to initiate and operationalise the MSA. The model suggests that national heritage, power dynamics and network positioning create ‘social frames’ that inspire the initiation of multiple stakeholder organisations and the operationalisation of MSA. The study concludes that the involvement of non-state entities through MSA can fast-track the improvement of public education services if their collaborations are well conceived, planned and executed. It specifically recommends that the state should provide a charter that guides the collaboration of actor groups in education to maximise the benefits of MSA. It proposes that transnational public-private partnerships and philanthropic organisations consider the findings to explore new engagements and grant-making approaches. It draws attention to the need for future research to examine the relationships between trust, sanctions, reciprocity and the notion of ‘the coalition of the willing’ in non-commercial PPPs. It suggests further research using a quantitative approach to increase the generalisability of the findings of the study. Furthermore, the study presents the need for a theory on the management and governance of secretariats that are set up to coordinate multiple actor collaborations.