The recent article “EC schools literacy shock” (DD, May 25) highlighted the dismal literacy levels of pupils at primary school level in the Eastern Cape, and the affect this has on pupils later in their schooling.
While the current situation is frightening, what makes this reality that much more problematic is that this isn’t anything new.
In South Africa, school leavers continue to enter the workforce functionally illiterate, without the skills to successfully pursue either tertiary education or an artisan career.
Catastrophically, the majority of those who have completed matric are being placed on Adult Education and Training (AET) levels that are below Grade 9, with low levels of literacy, which means there is significant work to be done.
The Not in Education, Employment or Training (Neets) category of the population compromise young people aged between 18 and 24. In the Eastern Cape, the Neets make up a significant portion of the adult population.
This is a highly frustrated group which needs to be productively included in the economy in the interest of social stability.
The Dispatch article presented analysis by Stellenbosch University’s department of economics, stating that 58% of Grade 4 pupils in South Africa cannot read for meaning and 29% are illiterate.
If we drill down into the Eastern Cape, the analysis is worse: 60% of Grade 4 pupils cannot read for meaning and 32% are illiterate.
These findings show us that the cycle of illiteracy in our country is continuing.
Announcing the matric results earlier this year, Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga said the overall pass rate had dropped from 75.8% in 2014 to 70.7 last year. This 5% drop reflects the long-lasting disadvantage suffered by pupils who fell behind early in their school careers.
The Eastern Cape matric pass rate for last year was 56.8%, making it the province with the lowest pass rate nationally.
If you cannot read, you cannot learn, and teachers in higher grades are not fully equipped, nor do they have the time, to get the children up to the literacy levels they need to be at.
These education statistics are particularly worrisome, especially since a massive bulk of the national budget is assigned to education. Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan announced in this year’s budget speech that basic education will get R205.8-billion, while university subsidies will be allocated a total of R28-billion.
Every year, government pours more money into South Africa’s basic and tertiary education systems.
But what about the young adults who have been left behind?
Adult education is the only way to bridge the gap between what should have been achieved at school and what needs to be learned to function as an employee, in order for the individual to gain independence, and to contribute to the economy and society at large.
The White Paper on Post School Education and Training, which was released last year, highlighted free post-school education as an integral part of the strategy, as well as proposed community education and training centres. These are both great ideas, especially in light of the #FeesMustFall protests.
In the Eastern Cape are 23 AET centres. These are typically housed in community learning centres managed by local communities and supported by the education department.
Technical Vocational Education and Training colleges are an excellent career option. We desperately need hundreds of thousands of skilled artisans to establish nuclear power plants, factories and other massive projects that are being undertaken at this time.
The new adult matric or National Senior Certificate for Adults (Nasca) has the potential to change the lives of hundreds of thousands of adults in this country. It will give people who fell out of the system, for whatever reason, a second chance.
The problem is that this has been delayed by three years.
What is needed is for the Department of Education to release the curriculum so that our youth can be offered the opportunity of an education.
Nasca is different to the matric curriculum in that learners only need to complete four subjects and, most importantly, the pass rate is 50% – higher than the current 30%.
Adult matric has a number of benefits:
A person can complete it in a longer time-frame (so they can work at the same time);
It can be completed via face-to-face classes, distance learning and e-learning platforms so it can accommodate anyone’s circumstances;
There are no minimum entry requirements – anyone can get their Nasca if they pass the exams;
Once they have passed, they will have access to higher education, depending on the entry requirements of the institution.
In the interim, adults can get their matric through the Amended Senior Certificate system.
The responsibility to educate the workforce also falls on corporates and big business, to train and educate current or prospective employees.
Adult education plays a strategic role in workforce development, not only improving the efficiency and success of a business, but giving hope and motivation to those who need it most.
A more educated workforce results in higher productivity that leads to increased profitability. This should serve as a reason enough for employers to enrol staff in career-developing training.
Adding to this, by choosing Sector Education Training Authority-accredited courses aligned to unit standards, companies can claim back for investments made. When choosing training for staff, selecting a programme that supports the BBBEE scorecard will boost a company’s rating.
It is only through education that the country will see a significant amount of social change and a decrease of poverty. A literate workforce is an empowered and more valuable society with fires in their hearts and food on their tables.
If we are not able to fix our post-schooling crisis by 2030, South Africa will enter a persistent downward spiral.
We cannot afford to support any more people on welfare.
Tax-paying citizens (the employed) are taxed to the maximum. Our financial resources are exhausted. People need to be able to care for themselves.
They can only do this, if they have decent work for a decent life.
To achieve this, they need access to decent education and training.
Dennis Lamberti is the development director of Media Works, a private adult basic education and training provider
Fast-track adult matric scheme to boost literacy
While the current situation is frightening, what makes this reality that much more problematic is that this isn’t anything new.
In South Africa, school leavers continue to enter the workforce functionally illiterate, without the skills to successfully pursue either tertiary education or an artisan career.
Catastrophically, the majority of those who have completed matric are being placed on Adult Education and Training (AET) levels that are below Grade 9, with low levels of literacy, which means there is significant work to be done.
The Not in Education, Employment or Training (Neets) category of the population compromise young people aged between 18 and 24. In the Eastern Cape, the Neets make up a significant portion of the adult population.
This is a highly frustrated group which needs to be productively included in the economy in the interest of social stability.
The Dispatch article presented analysis by Stellenbosch University’s department of economics, stating that 58% of Grade 4 pupils in South Africa cannot read for meaning and 29% are illiterate.
If we drill down into the Eastern Cape, the analysis is worse: 60% of Grade 4 pupils cannot read for meaning and 32% are illiterate.
These findings show us that the cycle of illiteracy in our country is continuing.
Announcing the matric results earlier this year, Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga said the overall pass rate had dropped from 75.8% in 2014 to 70.7 last year. This 5% drop reflects the long-lasting disadvantage suffered by pupils who fell behind early in their school careers.
The Eastern Cape matric pass rate for last year was 56.8%, making it the province with the lowest pass rate nationally.
If you cannot read, you cannot learn, and teachers in higher grades are not fully equipped, nor do they have the time, to get the children up to the literacy levels they need to be at.
These education statistics are particularly worrisome, especially since a massive bulk of the national budget is assigned to education. Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan announced in this year’s budget speech that basic education will get R205.8-billion, while university subsidies will be allocated a total of R28-billion.
Every year, government pours more money into South Africa’s basic and tertiary education systems.
But what about the young adults who have been left behind?
Adult education is the only way to bridge the gap between what should have been achieved at school and what needs to be learned to function as an employee, in order for the individual to gain independence, and to contribute to the economy and society at large.
The White Paper on Post School Education and Training, which was released last year, highlighted free post-school education as an integral part of the strategy, as well as proposed community education and training centres. These are both great ideas, especially in light of the #FeesMustFall protests.
In the Eastern Cape are 23 AET centres. These are typically housed in community learning centres managed by local communities and supported by the education department.
Technical Vocational Education and Training colleges are an excellent career option. We desperately need hundreds of thousands of skilled artisans to establish nuclear power plants, factories and other massive projects that are being undertaken at this time.
The new adult matric or National Senior Certificate for Adults (Nasca) has the potential to change the lives of hundreds of thousands of adults in this country. It will give people who fell out of the system, for whatever reason, a second chance.
The problem is that this has been delayed by three years.
What is needed is for the Department of Education to release the curriculum so that our youth can be offered the opportunity of an education.
Nasca is different to the matric curriculum in that learners only need to complete four subjects and, most importantly, the pass rate is 50% – higher than the current 30%.
Adult matric has a number of benefits:
A person can complete it in a longer time-frame (so they can work at the same time);
It can be completed via face-to-face classes, distance learning and e-learning platforms so it can accommodate anyone’s circumstances;
There are no minimum entry requirements – anyone can get their Nasca if they pass the exams;
Once they have passed, they will have access to higher education, depending on the entry requirements of the institution.
In the interim, adults can get their matric through the Amended Senior Certificate system.
The responsibility to educate the workforce also falls on corporates and big business, to train and educate current or prospective employees.
Adult education plays a strategic role in workforce development, not only improving the efficiency and success of a business, but giving hope and motivation to those who need it most.
A more educated workforce results in higher productivity that leads to increased profitability. This should serve as a reason enough for employers to enrol staff in career-developing training.
Adding to this, by choosing Sector Education Training Authority-accredited courses aligned to unit standards, companies can claim back for investments made. When choosing training for staff, selecting a programme that supports the BBBEE scorecard will boost a company’s rating.
It is only through education that the country will see a significant amount of social change and a decrease of poverty. A literate workforce is an empowered and more valuable society with fires in their hearts and food on their tables.
If we are not able to fix our post-schooling crisis by 2030, South Africa will enter a persistent downward spiral.
We cannot afford to support any more people on welfare.
Tax-paying citizens (the employed) are taxed to the maximum. Our financial resources are exhausted. People need to be able to care for themselves.
They can only do this, if they have decent work for a decent life.
To achieve this, they need access to decent education and training.
Dennis Lamberti is the development director of Media Works, a private adult basic education and training provider
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