Inspecting the Foundations - Umalusi

The problem of English being the language of teaching and instruction was once more highlightedin the reports from the chief markers and moderators: most candidates entering for this examinationare either second or third language English speakers. The DoE has indicated its awareness that nodistinction is made between examining English as a fi rst language and as an additional language,a diffi culty which has not been addressed.Even though there has been a steady increase in the number of candidates entering the GETCexaminations, there is still no real national or provincial intervention strategy or programme tosupport learners who are writing the examinations for the second or third time. This situation alsoapplies for those learners who may want to improve their internal assessment mark.Problems with the quality of teaching, learning, and assessment need to be addressed as a matterof urgency if there is ever to be a signifi cant increase in the numbers of candidates certifi cated.The DoE, having agreed that the standard of teaching and learning is poor in ABET classrooms, haspledged to address these concerns.The need for the urgent reform of the current curriculum to ensure its appropriateness andrelevance is also highlighted in the 2008 Umalusi report. The right to basic education is a humanright enshrined in the constitution, and adult learners deserve quality teaching and learning just asmuch as children do.4.4 CERTIFICATION OF GETC NQF LEVEL 1 QUALIFICATIONS4.4.1 CERTIFICATION OF THE NATIONAL GETCUmalusi has been responsible for the certifi cation of the GETC for Adults since its inception as aqualifi cation in 2001. Table 5 below provides telling information: the numbers given in bold refer toLearning Area Certifi cates while the fi gures in regular font refer to the full GETC: ABET qualifi cation.During eight years of ABET provision, just 11 525 whole qualifi cations have been awarded, withLimpopo and the Eastern Cape producing almost 60% of the successful candidates between them.The bulk of the certifi cation which Umalusi has done has been to award subject certifi cates: 94% ofthe certifi cates issued are Learning Area certifi cates. Once again, the best performing provinceshave been the Eastern Cape and Limpopo who have contributed 48% of the certifi cates awarded.The pattern of many fewer whole qualifi cations to Learning Area certifi cates is a trend whichbears analysis, for there may be a variety of factors which contribute to the trend. Employers, forexample, may consider Mathematics and Communication in English to be ABET, or at least the onlyportion of the GETC: ABET they are prepared to fund. Adult learners, equally, may regard theseas the critical learning areas and be less inclined to study ‘school’ subjects. Conversely, it maybe that PALCs and other providers fail to offer a full range of learning areas for adults to choosefrom: a result often of having to offer what their educators are able and willing to teach. Certainly,anecdotal evidence from the Western Cape suggests that adult learners often have to take whatthey can get in ABET programmes, and this is likely to be true at under-resourced PALCs throughoutthe country.Although the number of certifi cates awarded would appear to be low in terms of the projectedneed for ABET, the number is not necessarily a telling indication of the value of the learning that hastaken place. Many more people may have attended classes and benefi tted from the learning,but may have been too anxious to write the exams. Such people may have regarded the benefi tof becoming literate and numerate – and therefore more able to do what they need to do – asmore important than writing an examination and receiving a certifi cate. More detailed fi gures ofprogramme registration numbers, retention rates, the ages of participants, et cetera, would providea clearer picture of the target ABET audience, the motivations for enrolling and perhaps even thereasons for the pattern of achievement evidenced above.39