The complex landscape of science education in rural contexts necessitates a comprehensive examination of existing literature through multiple theoretical lenses. This review synthesises current research on SL, rural education support systems, and teacher development frameworks, with particular attention to the unique challenges faced in developing countries and South Africa’s rural contexts.

The study adopted a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design, combining quantitative and qualitative approaches to provide a holistic understanding of the support mechanisms needed for science teachers. This design choice was informed by the complex nature of rural educational contexts and the need to measure current practices and deeply understand teachers’ lived experiences. The sequential nature allowed findings from the quantitative phase to inform and refine the qualitative investigation, a strategy that has proven effective in similar educational research contexts (Hirose & Creswell 2022).

The research was conducted across rural schools in the Eastern Cape province, explicitly focusing on Grade 9 Natural Sciences teachers. A stratified random sampling technique was employed to select 30 schools across different rural districts, ensuring representation of diverse socio-economic contexts and geographic locations. The sample comprised 60 Grade 9 science teachers for the quantitative phase. Ten teachers from the main sample were purposively selected to participate in the qualitative phase to provide triangulation and deeper insight into the educational context. This sampling strategy aligns with recommendations for mixed-methods research in rural educational settings (Haynes-Brown 2025).

Data collection methods are systematic approaches for gathering and measuring information relevant to a research question or goal (Haynes-Brown 2025). The data collection process occurred in three distinct phases, each building upon the previous to create a comprehensive understanding of the support needs of science teachers. In the first phase, quantitative data were collected through a comprehensive questionnaire administered to all 60 participating teachers. The instrument was designed to gather data on demographic information, current teaching strategies and practices, available support systems, perceived challenges and needs, and resource availability and utilisation. The questionnaire employed Likert-scale items and structured response options and was validated through pilot testing with experienced teachers in similar contexts.

The second phase involved in-depth, semi-structured interviews with a subset of 10 teachers, allowing for a detailed exploration of themes emerging from the quantitative data. These interviews, lasting approximately 50 min each, were conducted in settings chosen by the participants to ensure comfort and openness in their responses. The final phase comprised classroom observations, conducted over 2 weeks per school, focusing on teaching practices, resource utilisation, and teacher–learner interactions.

The analysis followed a systematic approach that integrated both quantitative and qualitative data. Quantitative data analysis was conducted using descriptive statistics and correlation analyses to identify patterns and relationships. Statistical significance testing was applied where appropriate to validate findings. The qualitative data underwent thematic analysis following Braun et al. (2024) six-phase approach. This process involved iterative coding, theme development, and pattern-matching across multiple data sources, resulting in a robust, comprehensive analysis of teachers’ experiences and needs.

This section presents and interprets the findings from quantitative and qualitative data analyses, organised thematically to address the study’s primary focus on supporting science teachers in rural Eastern Cape districts. The integration of both data sets provides a comprehensive understanding of the current state of science education support and the framework requirements for enhancing SL.

The study involved 60 science teachers from rural Eastern Cape districts, representing diverse teaching experience and qualifications. Analysis revealed that 67% of participating teachers had more than 5 years of teaching experience, while 33% were relatively new to the profession. Notably, 73% of the teachers held appropriate science teaching qualifications, although only 45% had received specialised training in SL promotion within the past 3 years. This demographic profile highlights a significant gap in continuous professional development opportunities, particularly in rural contexts.

Figure 2 shows the grouped bar chart at the top, which compares teaching experience, science qualifications, and recent training, making the distribution easy to see at a glance. The doughnut chart summarises overall teacher readiness, while the table on the right provides exact numbers and percentages for each key metric.

The study adhered to strict ethical guidelines, obtaining approval from the university’s ethics committee (Protocol No: FEDFREC 2549) and the Eastern Cape Department of Education. Informed consent was secured from all participants, with particular attention to ensuring confidentiality and anonymity in this close-knit rural context. The research design incorporated several measures to ensure trustworthiness, including methodological triangulation through multiple data sources, member checking of interview transcripts, and peer review of analysis procedures. Regular reflexivity practices were consistently maintained throughout the research process to acknowledge and address potential researcher bias.

Teachers consistently emphasised the need for professional development tailored to the realities of rural teaching. Generic workshops were often perceived as insufficient, failing to address unique challenges such as limited resources and community-specific dynamics. Participant 1 explained:

Participant 2 echoed this sentiment:

Resource scarcity prompted teachers to develop creative solutions for science instruction. Many described adapting and improvising with locally available materials, although this process was time-consuming and required additional support. Participant 10 shared:

Similarly, Participant 4 opined:

Strong community involvement emerged as a key factor in enhancing learner engagement and access to resources. Teachers highlighted the importance of building relationships with parents and local leaders. Participant 6 stated:

Participant 7 added:

Limited infrastructure and unreliable connectivity posed significant barriers to integrating technology into science teaching. Despite enthusiasm for digital tools, teachers found practical implementation challenging. Participant 5 remarked:

Participant 8 further explained:

Blending indigenous knowledge with formal science curricula was seen as both a challenge and an opportunity. Teachers valued approaches that respected local culture and made science more relevant to learners. Participant 9 observed:

Participant 3 elaborated:

Mentorship and peer networks were highly valued, with teachers expressing a strong desire for structured support systems. These relationships provided practical guidance and fostered professional growth. Participant 2 emphasised:

Participant 5 added:

In Table 1, ‘Contextualised professional development’ is the most frequently mentioned theme. This highlights teachers’ strong desire for training tailored to their unique rural context. ‘Community integration and support’ and ‘Mentorship and peer support’ also feature prominently, showing the importance of strong relationships and collaborative networks in these settings. By presenting Table 1, the analysis paints a vivid picture of what matters most to rural science teachers. This approach ensures that the findings are grounded in data and easy to interpret, guiding future efforts to provide meaningful support where it is needed most.

The integration of quantitative and qualitative findings underscores the importance of contextually relevant, sustainable support frameworks. Professional development, resource innovation, and community involvement are essential for advancing SL in rural schools. This layered approach ensures that both statistical trends and teachers’ lived experiences are fully represented, providing a robust foundation for future interventions.

Our findings reveal a complex interplay between formal support structures and contextual challenges in rural Eastern Cape districts. The data demonstrate that 73% of teachers held appropriate qualifications, and only 45% received specialised training in SL promotion, aligning with Makoba and Odhiambo’s (2022) observations of a disconnect between qualifications and practical support for teaching in rural contexts. However, our study extends beyond this observation by identifying specific gaps in the support ecosystem, particularly regarding resource optimisation and contextual adaptation.

Despite resource constraints, teachers’ emerging innovative teaching practices challenge the deficit-focused narrative often associated with rural education. This finding resonates with the work of Abe and Chikoko (2020) on rural teacher resilience. However, it adds a crucial dimension: The importance of structured support systems that build upon existing teacher capabilities rather than attempting to replace them. Through the theoretical lens of social constructivist theory, as applied by Mishra (2023), the findings highlight that ongoing support from experienced teachers can boost novice teachers’ confidence and help them enhance their skills.

A significant finding of our study is the successful integration of traditional knowledge systems with modern science teaching methods, particularly in schools where teachers received contextualised support. This integration challenges Osborne’s (2023) assertion that traditional and modern approaches should remain distinct. Instead, our data suggest that teachers can effectively bridge these pedagogical approaches when properly supported, creating more relevant and engaging science learning experiences.

The correlation between community integration and improved SL outcomes (r = 0.72, p < 0.01) provides empirical support for Aristeidou and Herodotou’s (2020) theoretical framework on community-based science education. However, our findings extend this understanding by demonstrating how structured support mechanisms can facilitate this integration more effectively.

Our analysis reveals that successful resource optimisation strategies emerge from a combination of formal support structures and informal teacher networks. This finding supports and extends Osborne and Allchin’s (2025) work on sustainable support systems in rural education. While Osborne and Allchin emphasised resource provision, our study demonstrates that effective support frameworks must focus on building teacher capacity to optimise available resources rather than merely providing additional materials. The data showing improved learner engagement (23% increase) and enhanced performance in science assessments (17% mean improvement) in schools with structured support systems provide concrete evidence of the framework’s potential impact. These results challenge Moodley and Thabo’s (2024) assertion that resource constraints inevitably lead to compromised learning outcomes.

The findings have several significant implications for educational policy and practice. Firstly, they suggest that support frameworks for rural science teachers must be contextually responsive while maintaining high SL standards. This challenges the one-size-fits-all approach often adopted in educational policymaking. Secondly, the success of community-integrated teaching approaches suggests a need to reconceptualise how we define and measure educational support in rural contexts. This aligns with recent international trends in rural education policy (Murphy 2022; Yanto et al. 2025) but provides specific, evidence-based guidelines for implementation in the South African context.

This study offers meaningful insights into support for science teachers in rural Eastern Cape districts, yet several limitations warrant acknowledgement. The geographical scope restricts generalisability. Rural schools across the Eastern Cape vary considerably, and the districts selected may not fully capture the breadth of rural education contexts in South Africa. Remote school accessibility posed practical challenges during data collection, potentially affecting the representativeness of the sample. The 1-year timeframe is a further constraint. Support interventions often produce gradual, cumulative effects, and a single year cannot adequately capture long-term outcomes on SL. This temporal limitation means the sustained impact of structured support systems remains largely unexplored within this study.

Data collection also faced minor methodological challenges. Language barriers occasionally arose during fieldwork, although translators were employed to reduce their effect. Time constraints during classroom observations may have limited the depth of the observational data gathered. These factors were carefully considered during analysis, and appropriate measures were taken to minimise distortion of the findings. Despite these constraints, the mixed-methods design provides a rigorous and context-sensitive foundation for understanding the support needs of science teachers. The combination of quantitative and qualitative procedures ensures the findings remain empirically grounded and practically relevant to the local context (Haynes-Brown 2025). Future research should pursue longitudinal designs and comparative studies across diverse rural contexts to test the transferability of the support mechanisms identified here.