Adult Learning Network
National Conference 2002

The national conference held on the 6 & 7 September
was the first opportunity for sector activists to come together, share information and address critical issues since September 2000.
The lively debate during the workshop and plenary sessions was a clear indication that such a national gathering was long overview.

We encourage you read through the resolutions adopted by the conference, discuss them with your provincial structures and help shape the future direction of the Adult Learning Network.

The participants

The conference was attended by more than 380 delegates representing a wide range adult education, training and development providers. In addition to representatives from the provincial structures of the Adult Learning Network (ALN) several other key players participated in the conference, including representatives from the:

• South African National Literacy Initiative (SANLI),
• Adult Education Directorate of the national Department of Education,
• Trust for Community Outreach and Education (TCOE),
• Education Training Development Practices (ETDP) Sector Education Training Authority (SETA) and the Chemical Industries Education and Training Authority (CHIETA),
• Department of Labour,
• KwaZulu-Natal and Northern Cape Departments of Education,
• South African Democratic Teachers Union (SADTU) and
• Adult Literacy Basic Education and Development Foundation.

Reports

The conference focused on recent developments in the state, business and development sectors and culminated in a series of resolutions that will be taken forward by the Adult Learning Network.

The national Department of Education reported on developments within the state sector including:

• The South African National Literacy Initiative (SANLI), and the challenges that that have hampered the effective delivery of this literacy initiative as well as the potential for collaboration with civil society organisations to strengthen the programme.
  
  
• The ABET Act (2000), governance and funding of Public Adult Learning Centres and matters relating to accountability and quality assurance were discussed. The establishment of a national ABET Board will hopefully provide opportunities for a broader cross-section of adult education providers to actively shape ABET policy and improve the delivery of Adult Basic Education and Training.
  
  
• A representative from the Chemical Industries Education and Training Authority (CHIETA) introduced a range of skills programmes and learnerships that can be accessed through the SETA systems including examples of course content, quality standards and accreditation of providers. Participants at the conference gained greater insight into the skills development opportunities that are available and in particular those training programmes that can assist participants in securing jobs in the chemical industry.

The Community Development Sector representative from the Trust for Community Outreach and Education (TCOE) raised important questions about the role of education in the context of globalisation and increasing poverty. The introduction to TCOE's popular education and non-formal learning programmes offered to adults in fishing and landless communities provoked a great deal of interest from educators. The TCOE programmes experience very low drop-out rates (a problem that often plagues community learning programmes in poor communities) and attribute their success to a learner-centred approach that encourages learners to choose their own (relevant) topics of study such as HIV/AIDS, land policy, organic farming, etc.

Resolutions

The following resolutions that will inform the future shape and direction of the Adult Learning Network were adopted at the National Conference in Kimberley on 7 September 2002.

We encourage you to discuss and debate these resolutions and recommendations that follow with other stakeholders and to actively participate in the development of your provincial structures to ensure that the Adult Learning Network becomes a vibrant organisation that truly represents the needs of the sector.

Resolution No.1

Recognising:

• The vacuum that exists in the adult education and training sector as a result of the demise of previous networks;
• The lack of co-ordination, synergy and unity of purpose which has resulted in a fragmented sector; and
• The need to rebuild the sector and ensure that adult learning remains in the national agenda;
  

This conference resolves:

• To endorse the Adult Learning Network as a movement for advancement and consolidation of adult education and training provision in all sectors.

Resolution No. 2

Realising:

• The urgent need for a unified voice to represent the adult learning sector in all relevant matters;

This conference resolves:

• To mandate the ALN to be the adult education sector representative in all matters relating to adult learning in this country.

Resolution No. 3

Noting:

• That some delegates at conference did not have enough information about the Network with regards to its objectives, structure, and the relationship between the Trust and the Network;
• There are a number of other stakeholders who are not aware of the existence of the ALN and therefore not part of it to date; and
• Provinces are not in the same stage of development with regards to forming their provincial structures/networks which would form the national network;

Therefore resolve:

• To continually develop the structure(s), formation and organization of the ALN with specific reference to its objectives and programme of action as it will be informed by provincial networks.

Resolution No. 4

Realising:

• The ongoing marginalisation of the adult education and training sector;
• The inherent weakness of the sector in galvanizing resources for effective delivery of quality adult education and training programmes; and
• The need to bring to reality the right to adult basic education as enshrined in our constitution;

Therefore resolve:

• To seek strategic alliances with the education trade union movement and other unions where adult education and training is provided, all civil society organizations including sector specific networks, and other relevant stakeholders.

Resolution No. 5

Noting:

• That international developments including the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) held in Johannesburg recently have brought into sharper focus the need for the world to act together and to speak with one voice on issues that affect all our peoples; and
• That the South African government has committed itself to ensuring Education for All (EFA), and in particular signed the Dakar Declaration whose target is to halve illiteracy especially among women by 2015;

Therefore resolve:

• To collaborate with other civil society initiatives organized under the banner of Global Campaign for Education to pressurize government to meet its EFA commitments; and
• To participate in government planning initiative aimed at the meeting the goals of EFA.

Resolution No. 6

Noting:

• The lack of information about the SANLI initiative which results in confusion and frustration in the adult education sector; and
• The alienation of civil society organizations in the ABET sector in SANLI processes which have ignored the wealth of experience inherent in the non governmental sector on literacy matters, which in turn deprives our people the opportunity to learn;

Therefore resolve:

• To communicate our concerns to the Ministry of Education with a view to seeking audience with the Minister;
• To call for a detailed report on the activities and achievements of SANLI covering the period of June 26, 2000 to date, within three months of this conference; and
• To request clarity on the status of SANLI and its programmes as a directorate in relation to AET directorate and its programmes.

Resolution No. 7

Noting:

• The seeming lack of capacity of the AET Directorate which results in processes such as the establishment of the NABABET and the implementation of the ABET Act taking unnecessarily long time; and
• The unacceptable lack of communication of its activities with the sectors;

Therefore resolve:

• To call on the national Department of Education to ensure that the AET Directorate is adequately resourced to play the leadership role in the sector; and
• To challenge the national DoE to communicate its activities and programmes with the adult learning sector.

Resolution No. 8

Noting:

• That adult learning takes place in different contexts and at different levels; and
• The need for the skills development of different categories of adult learners (including adult educators) in different contexts;

Therefore resolve:

• To engage all SETAs to ensure that adult learning, in particular ABET and educator development is given priority;
• To challenge SETAs to ensure that their services also benefit unemployed learners especially women, disabled and people in rural areas;
• To ensure that non-formal education and training programmes, often provided by small providers in communities are accepted and supported in various ways leading to accreditation.

Recommendations

Further recommendations raised by participants at the conference included:

• Learner representation
  The need to establish a platform for learners themselves to voice their concerns and take collective decisions; and for the Network to ensure that learner demands are taken forward.
  
  
• Professionalisation
  The need to lobby for the professionalisation of ABET provisioning and ensure that conditions of service for ABET educators are equitable to those of educators in mainstream schools. This includes the need to lobby for increased funding to ensure adequate provisioning of learner support materials and in-service educator training.
  
  
• ABET delivery in the Provinces
  The need to enhance adult education and training provision at provincial level by ensuring that statutory councils are established to advise provincial MECs for Education on ABET matters and by lobbying for the establishment of fully-fledged ABET directorates at provincial level.
  
  
• Accountability
  The need to develop efficient mechanisms that ensure that leadership remains accountable to membership. We need to ensure that provincial structures encourage active participation of all stakeholders and clearly represents their interests through regular reportbacks, an annual conference, fixed terms of office, etc.