It is becoming common practice to recruit people with a Grade 10 through to Grade 12 for NQF1 and 2 Qualifications. Is this approach not counter-productive considering the real need to raise the skills levels of people with education levels of Grade 9 and lower? Many would argue that workplace training should be geared at developing low skilled employees to address high unemployment and inequalities in the country.
Recent studies have shown that people are more likely to have a higher education level than the Learnership that they are currently completing.
Among the reasons for this is that these Learners are easier to recruit for workplace training. They are also more likely to be ready to enrol for a qualification without any barriers to entry to workplace training, considering that their basic English and maths fundamentals are already in place.
This approach to workplace training remains a major stumbling block in the way of true empowerment. Many people would agree that this training is simply for the sake of it. Due to this, people who are really in need of an education, including acquiring basic maths and Basic English literacy skills, are being withheld an opportunity to improve themselves.
Worryingly, this practice is also happening in a country where inequality and unemployment is already at an all-time high. This is being fuelled by very poor literacy levels, especially in impoverished areas of the country.
Meanwhile, the true impact of the complete shutdown of the economy and later restrictions on the operation of various industries is only now becoming apparent as government grapples to balance “lives with livelihoods” during this pandemic. At times, it may seem an almost impossible task. The virus persists and yet another wave of infections has broken across the country. While infections increase so too do joblessness and poverty. Many children also did not return to school after they were reopened, and this will only exacerbate high illiteracy and very low skills levels in South Africa.
Motivating workplace training with a real impact Adult Education and training, including Basic English literacy and Mathematics for employment and economic emancipation
According to Statistics South Africa’s latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey or “QLFS”, unemployment in the country increased to 32,6% in the first quarter of this year. This means that there were about 7,2-million South African citizens who were unable to earn a livelihood during the first quarter of 2021.Moreover, they are unable to participate in any meaningful workplace training programmes that will help them to improve their circumstances.
Meanwhile, the QLFS notes that the number of employed people remained largely unchanged during this period. In the first quarter of the year, only 15-million people were working. This means that there was a further 28 000 unemployed people in the first quarter of this year.
Of equal concern is the 6,9% increase in the number of discouraged work-seekers to 201 000 in the first quarter of 2021 versus the previous quarter. At the same time, South African citizens who were not economically active for reasons other than discouragement slumped by 0,3% to 38 000 between the last quarter of 2020 and the first quarter of 2021. This means that the number of South Africans who are not participating in the local economy has increased to 164 000.The need for far-reaching change in employment and workplace training, including basic English literacy and maths, practices is very evident.
Motivating workplace training to address rising inequalities Correct adult training, including Basic English literacy and maths skills, will help bridge the inequality divide
The outbreak of COVID-19 in the country has also exposed exactly how unequal South African society currently is and the pandemic has only compounded the problem as is evidenced in poor communities.People in these areas often live from one meal to the next and were, therefore, among the worst off during the lock down when the economy was shut down.It is also almost impossible to social distance in very crowded spaces and be expected to stay indoors for drawn outperiods when you sharea small makeshift dwelling with many family members. Despite consistent hand-washing messaging in the media, many communities struggled with an irregular supply of water.People also often had to crowd around standpipes just to collect water for their daily requirements – least of all to wash their hands to safeguard against infection and transmission. This is despite the need to social distance to contain the spread of the virus.
According to Inequality Trends in South Africa, a report published by Statistics South Africa, the country is one of the most unequal in the world. For example, its per-capita expenditure Gini coefficient was 0,65 and the top 10% of the population spent 7,9 times more than the bottom 40% in 2015.
South Africa’s unemployment rate
| Actual | Previous | Highest | Lowest | Dates | Unit | Frequency |
| 63.30 | 63.20 | 63.30 | 48.80 | 2013 – 2021 | Percent | Quarterly |
| South African labour | Last | Previous | Highest | Lowest | Unit |
| Unemployment rate | 32.60 | 32.50 | 32.60 | 21.50 | Percent |
| Employed persons | 14 995.34 | 15 023.55 | 16 528.70 | 11 666.00 | |
| Unemployed persons | 7 242.00 | 7 233.00 | 7 242.00 | 8 873.00 | Thousand |
| Labour force participation rate | 56.40 | 56.60 | 60.80 | 47.30 | Percent |
| Labour costs | 162.20 | 177.40 | 177.40 | 1.00 | Points |
| Wages | 23 133.00 | 22 579.00 | 23 133.00 | 6 742.00 | ZAR/Month |
| Wages in manufacturing | 19 788.00 | 18 857.00 | 19 788.00 | 6 250.00 | ZAR/month |
| Population | 58.80 | 58.78 | 58.80 | 17.46 | Million |
| Retirement age of women | 60.00 | 60.00 | 60.00 | 60.00 | |
| Retirement age of men | 60.00 | 60.00 | 65.00 | 60.00 | |
| Minimum wages | 21.69 | 20.76 | 21.69 | 20.00 | ZAR/Hour |
| Youth unemployment rate | 63.30 | 63.20 | 63.30 | 48.80 | Percent |
| Employment rate | 38.20 | 37.51 | 46.17 | 36.26 | Percent |
Education levels well below adult basic education and training or ABET Level 3 Upskilling basic English literacy and maths for a greater and sustainable impact
Most of the assessments Triple E Training undertakes of employed people have revealed that education levels are below adult basic education and training or ABET Level 3 English and maths. This is only equivalent to a Grade 7 education, including Basic English literacy and maths skills. These people will, therefore, only be able to enrol for a Learnership once they have completed their adult basic education and training orABET.
As a solution, Triple E Training proposes that recruitment and assessment be undertaken at any level below adult basic education and training or ABET Level 4. This will allow Learners to complete their fundamentals and a Qualification on NQF1 Level within the required 12 months.
“It is actually those people who do not qualify for entry into the job market who should be recruited and trained in all required fundamentals, including basic English literacy and maths, to complete NQF1 and 2 Qualifications. However, they are being marginalised,” Van der Merwe says. “Triple E Training believes that this is a true way of empowering people who have never completed their schooling due to an array of unforeseen circumstances. This approach will enable Triple E Training to help companies give people who really deserve an education a future.”
Experts in adult basic education and training or ABET partner businesses to empower South Africans
Accredited training provider with a solid track-record of delivering high-impact adult basic education and training or ABET
Triple E Training has more than a 30-year long track record supplying quality adult basic education and training or ABET for workplace training and community training programmes. They include basic maths and basic Englishliteracy skills.
As an accredited training provider, the company is constantly innovating to help break the back of high illiteracy and innumeracy in South Africa. To achieve this objective, the company relies on its national footprint, which includes facilitators located in all the major cities of the country. They are also willing to travel to the remotest areas to provide adult basic education and training or ABET. A case in point is the quality adult training that the company supplies to mines for both workplace training and community training requirements. This is in addition to the quality adult training this leading accredited provideris supplying to the agricultural industry.
Adult training provides a solid foundation
Adult basic education and training or ABET for development
Triple E Training’s adult training provides basic foundational learning tools, knowledge and skills, in addition to nationally recognised skills and/or qualifications. The company’s adult training addresses the fundamental skills of reading, writing, understanding and listening. This is in addition to literacy and numeracy abilities which enable further development in companies.
The four levels of this adult training are equivalent to Grade R to Grade 9. While adult basic education and training or ABET consists of various subjects, English literacy and maths are highly sought after by the company’s many clients.
Let us help you truly empower South Africans through quality adult training.
