Inspecting the Foundations - Umalusi

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determine learner competence. But where is the appropriate starting point, in a context where it isgenerally acknowledged that education in the ABET sector has largely failed adult learners? Howcan adults be better served in terms of their needs for literacy and numeracy, and opportunitiesfor further study and to advance life chances, to enter the mainstream economy, and enhancetheir personal life skills? Standards must relate to the appropriateness of the curricula being offeredto learners. It is necessary, therefore, to examine adult education and training more broadly fi rst, inorder to reach some understanding of how standards can be understood in this context.1.5 WHY THIS RESEARCH IS IMPORTANTThis research was intended to be able to provide Umalusi and the stakeholders in adult educationwith an analysis of the intended and examined curricula for the adult GETC: ABET. The work formspart of Umalusi’s research programme to evaluate, understand, and strengthen education andtraining in areas it is mandated to quality assure. Along with The f-word, this particular research hasbeen designed to create a better understanding of the standard expressed for adult learning inthe GETC. It has been clear for a long time that the focus on the GETC and ABET closed down otheropportunities which were once in the system. Those opportunities allowed adults to study for andcomplete their matric, a much more symbolically powerful qualifi cation than the GETC. At present,the GETC does not allow for access to any form of formal learning that would allow adults to studyfor and achieve their NSC, a shortcoming with which the education system is currently grappling.Without in-built progression, the GETC remains a problematic anomaly in the system.1.6 THE STRUCTURE OF THIS REPORTSection 1 of this report has sketched out some background history, explaining Umalusi’sresponsibilities in the area of adult basic education, its interest in adult learners as well as providingan overview of the current lack of opportunities for adults – both young and older – who have leftschool without that essentially South African document, the matric certifi cate. Section 2 explainsthe aim of this report, and the research questions which have driven it. Section 3 describes themethodology used to acquire the documents required to undertake this research as well as theadditional information which is reported in the fi ndings. This section also explains the limitationsof this research. Section 4, the most extensive section of the report, identifi es the fi ndings aroundthe Level 1 qualifi cations for adults; the curriculum documents at national, provincial and at locallevels; the examined curricula; certifi cation of Level 1 qualifi cations and, fi nally, other observationswhich emerged from the telephonic interviews which the research necessitated. Section 5 drawstogether the recommendations emerging from the research.13
2. Aim of the report and researchquestionsThe larger study, for which this research has been primarily a documentary overview, seeks toevaluate the education and training in GET, and asks the question:What is the standard of the intended and examined curricula in the GET band?This question is to be answered through a two-phase study, the fi rst focusing on ABET, and thesecond on formal schooling.This report reports on the fi rst phase of the study. The question in this phase was:How are curricula available to South African adult educators and their learners in GeneralEducation and Training constituted and what are the standards of these curricula?The original intention was to describe how the curricula were constituted, and then go on toinvestigate the standards of the curricula and examinations in particular learning areas, in order tohave insight into how the curricula prepare adults for Further Education and Training (FET). Giventhe multiplicity of curricula currently in use in ABET, and the impossibility of establishing a singlemainstream curriculum for the public provision of ABET, this second part of the research did nottake place. This report thus focuses on the nature of the ABET qualifi cations, how ABET curriculaare constituted in general, and describes the system of which these curricula are a part. Themethodology used for this project is thus much the same as that used for The f-word (Umalusi 2007)which researched the curricula underpinning the ‘fundamentals’ in the teaching of unit standardsbasedqualifi cations, registered on the NQF by Setas, and used primarily in industry. This research,however, while taking into account the fi ndings from The f-word, looks primarily at adult educationat NQF Level 1 as it is delivered and assessed by major assessment bodies.14
Page 2 and 3: INSPECTING THE FOUNDATIONSTowards a
Page 4: AcknowledgementsThis report is the
Page 8 and 9: AcronymsABEABETAETAHCDoEECDETDPETQA
Page 10 and 11: describe Public Adult Learning Cent
Page 12 and 13: literacy campaigns. They attribute
Page 16 and 17: 3. Methodology usedThis research co
Page 18 and 19: some offer FET subjects only. Numbe
Page 20 and 21: 4. Findings4.1 NQF LEVEL 1 QUALIFIC
Page 22 and 23: This history of a qualifi cation th
Page 24 and 25: the weighting used for Learning Are
Page 26 and 27: Table 3: GETC: ABET Learning Outcom
Page 28 and 29: (if this is seen to be in the inter
Page 30 and 31: was circulated at a national ABET m
Page 32 and 33: 4.2.1.5 Private ABET provider docum
Page 34 and 35: electives. Some of the examples of
Page 36 and 37: to maintain and improve the norms a
Page 38 and 39: the following:• The completion of
Page 40 and 41: The problem of English being the la
Page 42 and 43: This pattern of Setas’ being able
Page 44 and 45: learnership has been completed, it
Page 46 and 47: While the occupational qualifi cati
Page 48 and 49: • The associated curricula should
Page 50 and 51: Singizi (2007). Employment Pormotio
Page 52 and 53: PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIF
Page 54 and 55: UNIT STANDARDS:Core 7511ID UNIT STA
Page 56 and 57: Appendix BGeneral Education and Tra
Page 58 and 59: This Recognition of Prior Learning
Page 60 and 61: Elective Component:The Elective Com
Page 62 and 63: ID Number; Unit Standard Title; Cre
Page 64 and 65:
• ID 14569; Demonstrate an unders
Page 66 and 67:
2.3 Algebraic techniques are select
Page 68 and 69:
learning components and should use
Page 70 and 71:
A choice of three Reading Core Skil
Page 72 and 73:
Numeracy and Mathematics:• VBQU26
Page 74 and 75:
Currently, there are over one hundr
Page 76 and 77:
wider selection of vocational subje
Page 78 and 79:
UNIT STANDARDS (continued):Fundamen
Page 80 and 81:
PROVIDERS CURRENTLY ACCREDITED TO O
Page 82 and 83:
ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS FOR CURRICULUM D
Page 84:
Where possible and necessary, the c
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