ABET training is more relevant today than before.
Quality adult literacy training and adult numeracy training are a means of upskilling the many low skilled employees in the country. Worryingly, the education level and skills of the South African labour base remain stubbornly low. This is even with a constitution that enshrines education as one of many basic human rights for all our citizens (https://www.gov.za/documents/constitution/chapter-2-bill-rights). Only 20% of the employed population has a tertiary qualification and just 32% has completed secondary school.
This means that 48% of our labour force does not have the skills that are needed to participate meaningfully in a modern economy. These low skilled employees are, therefore, confined to menial jobs that provide little room for growth and development. They also do not offer job security and a decent income. Meanwhile, a staggering about 60% of the unemployed population does not have a National Senior Certificate. Many of these citizens have lost all hope of finding a job. It will become increasingly difficult for these citizens to secure employment as the economy continues to evolve. https://www.dhet.gov.za/Planning%20Monitoring%20and%20Evaluation%20Coordination/Report%20on%20Skills%20Supply%20and%20Demand%20in%20South%20Africa%20-%202022%20%281%29.pdf provides more reading on key South African labour market trends.
ABET training is necessary
ABET training is necessary in a country where functional illiteracy is rife, especially among South Africans of working age. These citizens also do not have the basic skills that they need to make a significant contribution to their communities and society at large. Functional illiteracy, therefore, impacts all aspects of life. It is not only a severe hindrance in the workplace for both employee and employer, alike. https://www.dhet.gov.za/Planning%20Monitoring%20and%20Evaluation%20Coordination/Fact%20Sheet%20-%20Adult%20illiteracy%20in%20South%20Africa_March%202022.pdf provides more reading on functional illiteracy in South Africa and the extent of the challenge. It further motivates the need for more adult literacy training and adult numeracy training to help address the problem.
South Africa Labour Productivity Growth, 2009 – 2022 | CEIC Data provides up-to-date information on the productivity levels of South Africa’s labour force. It also compares our productivity levels to that of other countries in the world. Notably, our labour force productivity levels lag significantly behind many countries. Poor productivity hinders our ability to compete globally. This, in turn, is also an obstacle in the way of achieving the levels of economic growth that we need to create many jobs for the unemployed. These jobs also need to come with skills development and training opportunities.
At present, economic growth has mainly favoured high-skilled workers. This is despite the vast majority of employed and unemployed South African citizens having low level skills. The situation is also fuelling rising inequality. Worryingly, as much as 90% of South Africa’s unemployed citizens are indigenous Africans. Of further concern is that unemployment is mainly impacting indigenous Africans of between the ages of 15 and 34 years. World Bank Document provides more reading on inequality in the Southern African Customs Union. It also discusses the growing discrepancy in earnings between skilled and unskilled employees, a situation which is also fuelling rising inequality. Skills development and training, starting with ABET training, is a solution to this problem.
ABET training imparts skills
ABET training imparts workplace literacy skills. Employees who have completed adult literacy training are proficient in the English language. They can read and write. Moreover, employees are able to communicate efficiently in the spoken word and are active listeners. Certainly, an ability to understand the specialised vocabulary of a trade, and interpersonal skills are also important components of workplace literacy. Meanwhile, quality adult numeracy training equips your employees with the skills that they need to think critically and logically. They are, therefore, able to solve typical problems that they will encounter in the workplace – either individually or as part of high-performance teams. Importantly, they can also complete their tasks confidently with minimal supervision.
Workplace numeracy, English literacy and employability skills often overlap and are used together to complete many tasks. Functional illiterate employees will not, for example, be able to explain, elaborate and analyse. This is because they lack the literacy skills to communicate efficiently and do not have a sound enough grasp of basic mathematics to analyse information.
Worryingly, poor English literacy and numeracy skills are also prevalent among many South African matriculants. About 140 000 grade 12 students complete their matriculation examination with a bachelor’s pass every year. However, only about 50 000 score more than 50% for mathematics. Between 2018 and 2021, the mathematics pass rate ranged between 53,8% and 58%. Meanwhile, the pass rate for physical sciences dropped by 6,5 percentage points from 75,5% in 2019 to 69% in 2021.
Therefore, these individuals are also unable to access many Technical Vocational Education and Training programmes. These courses, in particular, are geared specifically at addressing a dire shortage of technical skills in industry. Notably, it also means that many matriculants are unprepared for entry level jobs, despite them being in possession of a National Senior Certificate. This is an indictment of the quality of our education system. It is aggravating the situation and motivates the need for continuous ABET training.
ABET training comprises four levels
ABET training comprises four levels that need to be completed by your employees to obtain a certificate.
The last level of adult literacy training imparts essential language and communication skills. Employees who are in possession of an ABET Level 4 certificate will be able to engage with aesthetic, affective and cultural values in texts. They will also be able to identify, access, analyse and present information. Moreover, employees will be able to use appropriate communication skills, convention and structures for specific purposes and situations. This is in addition to being able to explore and use a variety of strategies to learn and engage with meaning, organisation and structure of texts.
Employees who have completed all four levels of adult numeracy training will also have sound basic maths skills. They will be able to use maps to access and communicate information that involve routes, location and direction. Moreover, employees will be able to evaluate and solve data handling and probability problems within given contexts. This is in addition to having an ability to critically analyse how mathematics is used in socio-political and economic relations. They will also be able collect, analyse, use and communicate numerical data. In addition, employees will be able to describe and represent objects and environment in terms of shape, space, time and motion.
ABET training and NQF
The skills levels of employees who have completed ABET training are at a NQF Level 1. In other words, they are at the same level as someone who has completed Grade 9. Therefore, employees have attained sufficient skills to cope with many entry-level jobs and to perform general work. They will be productive, efficient, accurate and safe workers because they have the skills that they need to perform at their peak. Employees who have completed ABET training will be able to understand written or verbal instructions. Moreover, they will be able to communicate effectively with team members and work with numbers. They will also have the confidence that they need to assume additional responsibilities.
Importantly, employees who have completed adult literacy training and adult numeracy training acquire foundational skills that facilitate further learning. Many employees who have completed adult literacy training and adult numeracy training will want to continue learning. They should be encouraged to do so. This is an effective way of gauging the success of your ABET training. The ultimate outcome of any adult literacy training and adult numeracy training programme is to instil a newfound passion and respect for learning among participants. This is to your own and your employees’ benefit.
Quality ABET training
Triple E Training is a leading provider of quality ABET training to industry. Many thousands of employees working across a broad spectrum of sectors have already completed the company’s adult literacy training and adult numeracy training programmes. Learn more about Triple E Training and our quality ABET training programmes. www.eee.co.za
