What is adult education?
Adult education can be described as a relationship that involves a conscious effort to learn something. Where an adult was previously unable to complete primary schooling or secondary education, adult education can help individuals to achieve skills such as functional literacy.
In general, adults engage in systematic and sustained self-educating activities in order to gain new forms of knowledge, skills, attitudes or values.
Adult education in the South African context:
It can be used to gain knowledge, to improve skills or to increase literacy and numeracy rates among adults.
By gaining this knowledge, individuals are better empowered to improve economic conditions for themselves, their families and their communities. In a country where the apartheid government systematically destroyed the education of black individuals in the country, many adults were denied access to an education that would have enabled them to reach higher earning potential and even the career success they’d envisioned.
When the ANC took power in 1994, they endeavoured to change the fortunes of millions of South Africans by giving them access to quality education. In addition to basic education and higher education, adult education is vital to produce functional adult citizens. It was for this reason that policy was amended to create ABET centres around the country.
Adult Basic Education and Training (ABET) is a South African initiative aimed at improving literacy and numeracy rates among adults. Various courses are offered by registered ABET centres around the country.
According to the 2011 national census, more than two million adults were attending ABET centres.
Many institutes of higher education have aimed to develop a new approach to higher education and adult education on the African continent.
There is however a need for additional funding and there are also increasing demands for adult education professionals at centres nationwide.