Workplace education and training for employees provides many benefits. The very positive impact of quality ABET transcends the working environment. Skills imparted by structured and formal adult literacy training and adult numeracy training also benefit entire industries, the economy, communities and society at large. ABET is especially relevant in a country such as ours where the vast majority of South African citizens do not have 21st century skills. This includes basic English literacy and numeracy. People need these foundational skills to function effectively in just about every facet of life outside the workplace too.
South Africa Literacy Rate 1980-2022 | MacroTrends provides sobering statistics on South Africa’s literacy rate. Companies and their private training providers are helping government to break the back of illiteracy. This is by enabling low skilled employees to access quality education and training. Certainly, ABET programmes for poor communities and the unemployed are also making a positive difference. Many companies’ adult literacy training and adult numeracy training programmes are specifically geared at the unemployed as part of their CSI initiatives. This is in addition to raising skills in poor communities where illiteracy levels are the highest. In this way, they complement government driven adult literacy training and adult numeracy training programmes for these purposes.
Education and training for growth
Education and training are important for economic growth and development. Low literacy is a challenge with which industry and government continue to grapple. It hinders economic growth because companies do not have a reliable and secure supply of skills that they need to compete at a global level. https://www.oecd.org/southafrica/jobs-strategy-SOUTH_AFRICA-EN.pdf provides an overview of South Africa’s ability to respond to the digital revolution, globalisation and demographic changes. These trends are transforming labour markets.
This is at a time when policymakers are also struggling with slow productivity and wage growth, as well as high levels of income inequality. You will note that South Africa is battling to keep pace with these trends. Worryingly, our labour productivity growth is the lowest among emerging economies. Brazil and Argentina are the only emerging economies with negative rates. Among the factors that are contributing to this are skills shortages. Our education system is characterised by high inequality. Only a small share of students excels with the vast majority of South Africans performing poorly in academics. ABET, including adult literacy training and adult numeracy training, will, therefore, remain an important priority for companies moving forward.
Education and training and poverty
Focusing on education and training will, therefore, also help South Africa to address rising poverty. Economic growth is needed to create more jobs for the many unemployed South Africans. However, it is not only unemployment that is contributing to unprecedented levels of poverty in the country. An oversupply of unskilled and semi-skilled labour versus an acute shortage of sophisticated workers is fuelling rising inequality too. This has led to a large disparity between wages earned by South Africans. New World Bank Report Assesses Sources of Inequality in Five Countries in Southern Africa provides insightful reading on the rising levels of inequality in South Africa. Worryingly, our country is currently the most unequal in the world. This is despite our transition into a democracy in 1994 which introduced a new approach to education to the country.
According to research, more than 170-million people in low-income countries would be able to escape poverty if they had adequate literacy and numeracy skills. Research has also demonstrated that the gross domestic product of a country improves by about 3% for every 10% increase of females who study. Notably, illiteracy costs the global economy about USD1,5-trillion a year. There are more than 190-million unemployed people in the world. However, there are more global citizens who are trapped in low paying jobs and poor working conditions. In both instances, many of these people are functionally illiterate.
They are unable to secure decent employment because they lack basic skills that modern companies need in a knowledge economy. Importantly, ABET equips employees with foundational literacy and numeracy skills that enable employees to continue learning. This is so that they can keep on gaining new proficiencies or able to hone and enhance their existing skills. In this way, they are able to remain current and relevant in the workplace. Quality adult literacy training and adult numeracy training is, therefore, a first step in workplace education and training programmes for many employees.
Education and training both important
Education and training are both important. The two terms are often used interchangeably. While they differ, they both have a bearing on ABET. This includes adult literacy training and adult numeracy training. Training encompasses programmes that enable employees to learn precise skills or gain knowledge that will enable them to perform better in the workplace. English literacy and numeracy are the basic skills that your employees need to perform at their best. Employees use their English literacy and numeracy skills to complete even the simplest of tasks. This includes applying for leave and to follow company policies.
Employees who have sound English literacy and numeracy skills understand clear instructions and can work with new technologies. They are also able to perform simple on-the-job calculations, an ability which most – if not all – jobs entail. These capabilities are particularly important at a time when most companies are automating and mechanising processes. Some local industries are already undergoing the Fourth Industrial Revolution so that they can also compete effectively at a global level. These companies rely on highly sophisticated skills. English literacy and numeracy are the absolute bear minimum employees will need in terms of skills to add value in these digitally connected workplaces.
Development entails formulating and implementing a plan to enhance employees’ skills. Importantly, this plan is developed together with employees. It identifies skills gaps that need to be addressed and the training interventions required to enhance skills. These may entail adult literacy training and adult numeracy training to impart basic English and maths skills to your employees. A placement assessment will enable you to determine at which ABET level your employees need to start their adult literacy training and adult numeracy training. It will also help to better inform your workplace skills plans for employees.
Education and training raise standards
Notably, companies that invest in education and training raise standards across the industries in which they operate. This is to the benefit of all stakeholders; the ultimate beneficiaries, of course, are the end consumers. They have a better experience working with companies and have access to higher quality products and services. ABET, including adult literacy training and adult numeracy training, also helps raise safety, health, environment and quality levels in industries. This significantly reduces practices that are unsafe or harmful to the environment.
Education and training benefits employees
Workplace education and training benefits employees too. It is certainly not only companies that reap the benefits of quality adult literacy training and adult numeracy training. ABET equips employees with skills that will enable them to continue learning so that they can sustain their employment or advance in their careers. People who do not possess English literacy and numeracy skills are increasingly at risk of being made redundant and joining the many South Africans who are unable to secure a livelihood. https://www.mckinsey.com/~/media/McKinsey/Featured%20Insights/Middle%20East%20and%20Africa/The%20future%20of%20work%20in%20South%20Africa%20Digitisation%20productivity%20and%20job%20creation/The-future-of-work-in-South-Africa-In-Brief.pdf provides more reading on the future of work in South Africa.
Education and training to navigate life
Education and training also equip your employees with the English literacy and numeracy skills they need to navigate various aspects of their life outside of the workplace. They underpin other important literacy skills. These include financial, health and digital literacy. People who have basic financial literacy skills can budget to avoid spending more money than they have. Health literacy is an ability to understand health information and use related services. People who have health literacy skills will seek medical help when needed.
They will also make sure that their children visit doctors on scheduled and as-needed basis. Digital literacy is an ability to understand and deploy technology to find, use and create information online in a beneficial way. This is increasingly important in this digital era in which communities and societies throughout the world have been connected. Certainly, people who have digital literacy skills also understand the limitations of technology. Moreover, they are aware of the risks associated with the use of technology and are, therefore, able to take the necessary precautions to protect themselves and their families.
Literate people also have greater self-esteem. People who are illiterate or semi-illiterate struggle to express themselves even in the spoken word and this negatively impacts their morale. This may lead to anxiety and depression, as well as other mental illnesses that impact the quality of lives. People who are able to express themselves because they have literacy and numeracy skills are also more confident. As a result, they have a greater chance of living a happy and healthy life. These are just a few ways in which ABET, including adult literacy training and adult numeracy training, improve the quality of people’s lives outside the world of work.
Education and training build communities
Education and training build stronger communities and societies. Educated women are especially strong change drivers in their communities. They are more independent and engaged. Importantly, they are more likely to send their children to school. This helps to break the cycle of illiteracy. What you need to know about how UNESCO advances education and gender equality | UNESCO provides information on how UNESCO is advancing gender education and equality. According to UNESCO, women still account for nearly two-thirds of the 771-milion adults without basic literacy skills. In South Africa, the illiteracy rate for women was 12,9% in 2019. This is compared to 11,6% for men three years ago.
Literacy also strengthens communities and democratic processes. Literate citizens can follow politics and remain informed of issues that have a bearing on their lives and those of their communities. They are also more likely to participate in democratic processes, including voting.
Triple E Training is the country’s leading provider of quality ABET for companies’ education and training strategies. Learn more about our adult literacy training and adult numeracy training solutions and how they are helping to build a better South Africa. www.eee.co.za.
