Strategies for Motivating Learners to Complete the General Education and Training Certificate Level 1 in South Africa

Background

The changes taking place in society have made adult education an integral part of lifelong learning. According to UNESCO (2017), based on emancipatory, humanistic and democratic values, lifelong learning covers the integration of learning and living, covering learning activities for all ages, in all life contexts and through formal, non-formal and informal modalities. Lifelong learning is promoted for both an investment motive and a consumption motive. The investment motive equips learners with the competencies required in the workplace and the consumption motive assists in learners’ personal development (Nafukho, Amutabi & Otunga 2005:150). However, there seems to be a lack of structured strategies in place to support completion of the GETC: ABET programme. Adult basic education and training is meant to offer a route that adults can take into general education, aimed at improving their quality of life (particularly for previously disadvantaged adults) and to promote lifelong learning. However, most adult learners, enrolled in the programme, do not complete their training, as indicated by the 2014 statistics on Post-School Education and Training in South Africa (Department of Higher Education and Training 2014:59). This suggests that livelihoods that would otherwise be improved through basic education are not supported, thereby compromising the likelihood to improve their socio-economic outlook.