ABET empowers women who have not completed their education by teaching them essential literacy and numeracy skills.
Women make up more than two-thirds of the world’s just under 800-million illiterate people. This is because girls in many countries are unable to access a basic education for various reasons. Data from more than 40 countries shows that rural girls are twice as likely as their urban counterparts to be out of school. Just 39% of girls in rural areas throughout the world attend secondary school. This is compared to the 45% of rural boys; 59% of urban girls; and 60% of urban boys who attend secondary school.
There are many ways that illiteracy negatively impacts the lives of women. Thus, illiteracy can be correctly described as a women’s rights issue. By equipping women with the basic skills that they need to function effectively in all aspects of life, AET is a driver of gender equality. Notably, the importance of gender equality is enshrined in the South African constitution [https://www.justice.gov.za/legislation/constitution/saconstitution-web-eng.pdf].
Certainly, just as much focus also needs to be on ensuring that girls are able to access a quality education early on in life. This is so that they avoid having to struggle through their adult years without functional English literacy and numeracy skills. There are still many women who are unable to access quality adult literacy and numeracy training.
ABET is making an impact
ABET is making an impact on illiteracy in South Africa. However, more needs to be done in terms of AET programmes to impart literacy and numeracy skills to the many functionally illiterate South Africans. In 2021, about 4-million South African adults were functionally illiterate.
As in many parts of the world, illiteracy levels in South Africa are higher for women than for men. They were 11,3% for women and 9,6% for men in 2021. Refer to Fact Sheet – Adult Illiteracy in South Africa – March 2023.pdf (dhet.gov.za). The older generation of women grew up in a system that deprived them of an education. Therefore, many older rural women are functionally illiterate. However, girls in poor areas of the country and those attending under-resourced schools are performing dismally in academics and abandoning their education. This is compounding already-high illiteracy among women. By now – 29 years into our democracy – all South Africans should be able to access a decent basic education. This is irrespective of their race, gender, culture, background or political affiliation. The situation is cause for concern and an indictment on our democracy.
Community ABET programmes
Therefore, both young and old rural women remain a major focus for community ABET programmes. These adult English literacy and numeracy training programmes are driven by companies as part of their corporate social investment initiatives. Mining community adult English literacy and numeracy training programmes, in particular, extend into the rural areas. Human resource development is a major focus of mines’ social labour plans, upon which mining rights are awarded by government.
This also supports mines’ focus on attracting more women to the industry, considering that labour is sourced from these areas. In 2020, women participation in the industry was 17% compared to only 10% in 2010. Currently, women make up 20% of the industry’s skilled technical professionals. 27% of professionally qualified staff; 21% of senior management; and 20% of top management in the mining industry are women.
If it were not for these AET initiatives, these women would not be able to acquire English literacy and numeracy skills. Bear in mind that government-run ABET centres in the rural areas have not performed as anticipated. Females who have completed these ABET programmes have not improved their lives through the skills that they have acquired. This is because these centres do not offer skills that will help rural women find jobs or become successful entrepreneurs.
Refer to https://s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/eu-st01.ext.exlibrisgroup.com/27UOJ_INST/storage/alma/8A/5B/CD/17/49/D9/FB/DE/EF/13/22/17/AB/8F/6A/E6/uj_10010%2BCONTENT1%2BCONTENT1.1.pdf?response-content-type=application%2Fpdf&X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Date=20230804T051913Z&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&X-Amz-Expires=119&X-Amz-Credential=AKIAJN6NPMNGJALPPWAQ%2F20230804%2Feu-central-1%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Signature=1ffcf27bc8467aeae793096643693feaa36870d09dfd8d7eef8e47ce9b3b8a13 which contains the findings into the performance of these ABET centres in Mkhuhulu, Mpumalanga.
ABET helps women complete education
ABET helps women to complete their education. This is so that they can acquire the literacy and numeracy skills that they need to function effectively in a modern society. AET teaches people how to read, write, communicate in the spoken word and perform basic calculations. These skills are developed incrementally, starting at ABET Level 1 and ending at ABET Level 4.
There are many reasons why so many females from rural areas drop out of school. However, the lead cause is teenage pregnancy. Only about a third of teenage mothers return to school after they have given birth. Notably, 15% of South African teenage girls have been pregnant. The longer they are out of schools, the greater the chance that they will fall pregnant again. This is because they tend to engage in risky practices during school hours when they are not being supervised.
Women ABET learners
The vast majority of women ABET learners are black or coloured. They enrol for AET because the have not completed their basic education, which includes literacy and numeracy knowledge.
Black and coloured teenagers are at particular risk of falling pregnant while at school. This is because they are less likely to access quality education and good healthcare services and information about contraception. They also tend to experience harsher socio-economic living conditions than their Caucasian and Indian counterparts. Meanwhile, different social ideas around pregnancy are also a contributor, as is power relationships between young women and men. Girls attending poorly resourced schools are also at risk. This is compared to those who have access to a good education and are engaged in their learning.
They are, therefore, less likely to practice risky sexual behaviour. Another high-risk demographic are those girls from poorer households. They have inadequate access to good and adolescent-friendly healthcare advice and facilities. Poverty sometimes also leads to transactional sexual activities in exchange for money or goods. In these situations, there is little opportunity to negotiate safe sex. Refer to https://socialsurveys.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Teenage-Pregnancy-and-School-Dropout-in-SA.pdf for more reading on this topic.
In 2021, more than 90 000 South African learners fell pregnant. Alarmingly, some of these girls were between 10 and 14 years of age. In 2017, South Africa’s adolescent birth rate was 40,9 per 1 000 females aged between 15 and 19. This was down from 71,1 per 1 000 females in 2015.
ABET enables women
By imparting English literacy and numeracy skills, ABET enables women to participate in the political system of their countries. AET, therefore, helps to strengthen democracy.
Women in every country of the world are now allowed to vote. However, women who cannot read, write or comprehend the ballot are unable to enjoy this basic human right. There is ample evidence that demonstrates that women who complete adult literacy programmes are more likely to vote in elections. Literate women are also more willing to gauge in public debate and join unions and other organisations. This is so that they can improve their circumstances.
This ability is also referred to as political literacy. People who are politically literate are rational-minded citizens who are critical of politics and the demographic processes of government. They understand and have internalised important concepts such as the “rule of law”; “separation of powers”; “elections”; and “first-past-the-post”. Considering their knowledge, they hold their governments accountable for their election promises and actions.
However, education can also be used as a tool for governments to hold on to and abuse their power. Authoritarian leaders use mass primary education as a tool to “homogenize” their population around shared values and a national vision. They view this investment in “nation building” as money well-spent. This is because it increases their likelihood of staying in power, even if democracy prevails.
Notably, South Africa has made considerable strides in terms of women participation in the leadership of the country. As of February 2021, 45,8% of seats in parliament were held by women. This is worthy of praise, despite shortcomings in other areas of gender equity. Empowering women as economic, political and social actors can change policy choices and make institutions more representative of a range of voices. ABET equips women with skills
Benefits of ABET for Women in the modern economy
ABET equips women with the foundational skills that they need to add value in a modern economy. In this way, they can earn a decent living, while also growing and developing their careers and as individuals. The English literacy and numeracy skills that are imparted by quality AET are the bare minimum required to secure employment. For this reason, they are often simply referred to as “workplace literacy” by human resource practitioners.
Illiteracy impacts women’s ability to earn a livelihood. In most countries, women make up a sizeable portion of the informal economy. This places them at increased risk of exploitation and unemployment. Research has shown that every additional year of primary school increases girls’ eventual wages by between 10% and 20%.
Illiteracy also impedes women’s ability to budget and finance. The capacity to understand and make use of a variety of financial skills is known as financial literacy. Examples of these skills include personal financial management, budgeting and investing. Notably, when women control more household income, children benefit as a result of more spending on food and education. This is according to evidence from countries as varied as Brazil, China, India, South Africa and the United Kingdom.
Worryingly, the productive potential of South African women remains largely untapped. In 2022, 47% of South African women were economically inactive. This is compared to 35,6% of males who were not active in the economy last year. The global labour force participation rate for women is about 47%. This is compared to 72% for men. Refer to https://www.statssa.gov.za/?p=15668.
There has also been a concerning rise in the number of companies in the country without women in executive positions between 2017 and 2021. Refer to https://bwasa.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/BWASA-CENSUS-FINAL-TO-PRINT-2021.pdf.
ABET fights gender-based violence
By empowering women with knowledge that they need to be self-sufficient, ABET fights gender-based violence. AET imparts the English literacy and numeracy skills that women need to access information and support to escape violence. For example, illiterate woman who are being abused by a partner may not be aware of laws and resources in place to protect their rights. They may also be unable to complete legal documents or police reports if they want to leave a violent partner. Illiteracy also makes it difficult for women to access the support and help that they need to escape their abusive environments.
Research has shown that the longer a girl is in school, the less likely she is to experience violence later in life.
Educated women also tend to marry later and have fewer children. This leaves them less vulnerable to violence and in a better off position financially. They are, therefore, not dependent on a violent partner to sustain themselves.
ABET is important
ABET is especially important in a country such as South Africa where gender-based violence is a major problem. After completing AET and acquiring functional literacy and numeracy skills, women will be able to be more independent.
In 2019, 18% of partnered women and girls of 15 to 49 years of age fell victim to physical or sexual violence. There are also other widespread forms of gender-based violence, such as femicide and ukuthwala, which is bride abduction, in the country. In 2017, there were 2 400 cases of femicide. Meanwhile, 13,1% of women aged between 15 and 49 years were victims of physical and/or sexual violence in the previous 12 months in 2018. These acts were committed by a current or former intimate partner.
Women in rural and severely underprivileged areas remain one of the most vulnerable groups in South Africa to violence in their homes. To date, information on rural women and their experiences with domestic violence and social development is both fragmented and inconsistent. This is cause for concern. Refer to this article for more reading on the plight of young rural women: https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2022-03-16-cries-for-help-dismissed-as-young-rural-mothers-succumb-to-gender-based-violence/.
Skills learned during ABET
Women also use the skills that they have learned during ABET to improve their own health and that of their families. AET conveys the English literacy and numeracy skills that form the basis of health literacy. This is the ability to make educated decisions regarding one’s physical and mental wellbeing.
Low literacy levels may be connected to several adverse health outcomes in the country. These include non-adherence to important instructions for taking prescribed medication and non-compliance with directives for prevention and management of chronic diseases. Examples of such diseases include hypertension and diabetes. Experts also suggest that illiteracy is closely linked to increased morbidity and mortality rates. This is in addition to high hospitalisation rates and longer stays in healthcare centres. Illiteracy also results in other negative health behaviours, such as smoking and abuse of illegal substances, among other poor lifestyle choices.
Meanwhile, data from 68 different countries indicates that a woman’s education is a key factor in determining a child’s survival. When a woman can read and write, her child has a 36% higher chance of living past the age of five than if she were illiterate. Child mortality rates drop 68% when mothers have received a basic education. This is according to research undertaken by Harvard Kennedy School.
The four levels of ABET
Women who have completed the four levels of ABET are functionally literate. An AET Level 4 certificate indicates English literacy and numeracy skills at a National Qualifications Framework Level 1. A holder of this certificate has English literacy and numeracy skills equivalent to that of someone who has completed Grade 9.
Triple E Training is a leading provider of quality ABET to companies for their community upliftment programmes. These are also benefiting many women. By empowering them, we are enhancing productivity and improving other development outcomes. These include prospects for the next generation and social betterment.
Learn more about Triple E Training and how we are empowering women through quality AET.
