APPENDIX FIVE
A Broadcasting Advocacy Scenario

AdvocaTing and Profiling LifeLong Learning Opportunities

Background

This scenario is based upon suggestions made by individuals involved in adult education in a range of sectors such as health, small business development, early childhood development, and industry. It became clear that many issues cut across each of these sectors. The common observation is that there is a need for information and advocacy for adult education in South Africa. Interviewees pointed to the lack of knowledge amongst adults about further education and training possibilities. Thus, they emphasized the need to inform adults about developments and opportunities within the ABET sector. Simultaneously, new policy changes in the ABET sector have given rise to new conceptualizations, which will inevitably impact on ABET practitioners (adult educators and trainers) and providers. Interviewees also suggested that a focus on advocacy could be broadened beyond ABET opportunities, and be extended to include issues of citizenship and democracy.

Target Audience

This broadcasting intervention could be aimed at the entire spectrum of ABET learners, practitioners and providers across all sectors – the state, community, higher education, institutions, and industry.

Rationale

There is a dire need for information and awareness raising among the potential ABET audiences as well as practitioners. The ABET Directorate articulates this need as follows: ‘The challenge is to maintain and enhance the national political will for and profile of the ABET sector’(Department of Education, 1997). At the same time, there is also a need to give practice to policy and principles such as lifelong learning and recognition of prior learning (RPL) in meaningful and accessible ways, so that the objectives and vision for adult education in South Africa may be realized.

Individuals interviewed for this research exercise emphasized that there is a lack of policy frameworks and mechanisms to facilitate RPL. Thus much work and research is needed to explore ways of identifying and recognizing prior learning, as part of a process of ensuring that lifelong learning and RPL become working principles in the ABET sector. As the ABET Directorate identifies:

There is a lack of policy and mechanisms for the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)…The recognition of RPL within ABET services is uncontested. The challenge is to make it simple and accessible.(Department of Education, 1997, p.48)

Various initiatives are presently engaged in exploring the relationship between adults’ prior learning experiences and further/higher educational and employment opportunities. Examples of such initiatives include the Workers Higher Education Project (WHEP) and a group of individuals associated with the UCT Adult Education Department. The latter group is exploring ways of identifying and recognizing prior learning as part of a process of ensuring that this becomes a working principle. Similarly, WHEP is involved in developing capacity within institutions to develop models for RPL assessment. Such developments are still fairly new, but will certainly help to shape the field of education, training, and skills development for adults. The integrated national framework within which ABET operates necessitates linkages and cooperation between government, business, unions, NGOs, and education institutions. Here again, interviewees pointed out that these different players often do not share the same vision or understandings. Thus, it is important to work at these relationships and explore ways of ensuring that partnerships bring about the desired objectives for ABET with the broader context of human resource development in South Africa.

The ABET Directorate recognizes the need to develop a shared understanding and vision for adult education, and emphasizes the issue of ‘uncertainty about the ABET sector’ in its Multi-Year Implementation Plan. The Directorate contends that ‘there is a general lack of information about the sector’(Department of Education, 1997, p.47). Its recommendations in this regard include making use of ‘mass media such as pamphlets, radio and television to disseminate information about and within the sector’(Department of Education, 1997, p.47).

The new policy processes and mechanisms also impact on the potential ABET audience. There is a lack of guidance and information for adults on how to position themselves within the changing labour market system and changing education and training system. If potential learners within the ABET sector are to benefit from new developments in the field, then such information must be made available and easily accessible. Hence, there is potential for SABC Education to contribute to raising awareness, driving advocacy initiatives, and providing information.

Aims and Purpose

This intervention should aim to:

• Support the efforts of the ABET Directorate, organizations such as AETASA, and educational providers.

• Build a national network/forum. This is particularly important in light of the ABET Directorate’s claim that there exists ‘uncertainty’ and a ‘lack of information’ about the ABET sector(Department of Education, 1997, p.47). Thus a broadcasting initiative of this nature could provide a platform to increase coordination and sharing of information within the sector.

• Demonstrate the importance of the emerging ABET field to national and local socio-economic development initiatives. One possibility for a broadcasting intervention of this nature could be to show-case local community development initiatives that are tied to ABET programmes.

• Encourage learners to enrol in ABET learning opportunities. This could be done through the ABET Directorate’s learner mobilization strategy, which is linked to the Culture of Learning and Teaching Campaign.(Department of Education, 1997, p.240) Many NGOs, as well as industry-related initiatives are involved in ongoing promotion campaigns, which could be harnessed. These include umbrella organizations such as the FAAE and AETASA.

Nature of the Broadcast

The proposed broadcast intervention would be designed to fulfil the role of advocatingthe importance of, publicizing, raising awareness about, and disseminating information on key issues and learning opportunities in the ABET sector. These issues might include: access and provision of ABET; policy; exploration of RPL; and content and methodology. One goal of the ABET Directorate is to expand current ABET provision. SABC Education could support this goal through advocacy and publicity of learning centres and learning opportunities available.

The broadcast intervention could aim to:

- Motivate and encourage potential learners to take advantage of existing ABET opportunities;
- Provide a stimulus to encourage further enquiry into further education and training opportunities;
- Provide up-to-date information and support;
- Focus on practitioners to illuminate some of the more obscure conceptions such as recognition of prior learning and lifelong learning; and
- Model good-practice to develop the capacity and the effectiveness of practitioners in the field.

It could do this by:

- Using case studies. Illustrate the variety of experiences of people involved in ABET. Information on this could be obtained from organizations and institutions such as the Centre for Adult Education at Natal University (Pietermaritzburg), which is currently conducting a base-line study on levels of democratic engagement of learners engaged in adult education.
- Allowing people to tell their stories. This could be done by adopting a drama-style format, where ‘real’ people are provided with opportunities to tell their stories. Individuals working in the terrain of adult education who were interviewed for this research study indicated a willingness to provide access to adults with whom they work.
- Introducing ‘experts’ who would be able to respond to queries/questions of viewers.
- Focusing of international experiences in the field, particularly in other developing countries.
- Linking to national or regional ABET events. The Gilbey’s Adult Literacy Award; and the Adult Learners’ Week are examples of such events.

Possible Partnerships

- In implementing such an initiative, the SABC could undertake the following activities, amongst others:
- Consult and involve national ABET support structures like AETASA and FAAE, as well as regional support networks.
- Work with higher education institutions specializing in adult education and training. These could inform content and provide practical ‘models’ for RPL. The UCT Adult Education Department serves as a case in point. At present, there is a group involved in exploring the principles of lifelong learning and RPL and the implications for industry and commerce
- Work in collaboration with the national Department of Education, particularly the ABET directorate, to help to meet its information dissemination needs.
- Identify a range of ABET education providers that could be profiled. Some examples include Tembaletu Community, Education Centre, Operation Upgrade, Prolit, Eskom, the provincial Education department’s Adult Learning Centres, and St Anthony’s.
- Involve organizations that provide support and sponsorship for ABET initiatives.

Criteria for Success

If this intervention is to be successful, the following will be critical:

- Ensure that the initiative is in line with the national Department of Education’s Multi-Year Plan. According to the plan, July 1999 should see the implementation of a ‘learner mobilisation strategy, linked to "lifelong Learning for All".’(Department of Education, 1997, p.47)
- Consult with and involve national organizations involved in policy development and educator support, like the national Department of Education’s ABET directorate and AETASA.
- Draw on existing research and expertise in this area, particularly at higher education institutions.
- Involve learners in identifying priority information needs. A useful point of entry may be to use the baseline study currently being conducted by the Adult Education Department at Natal University, Pietermaritzburg. Similar information can be obtained from higher education institutions such as UNISA, as well as the ABET Directorate.
- Link the intervention to a more detailed learner support service (for example AETASA).
- Limit the duration of the intervention, possibly planning for it to coincide with, or lead up to, national Adult Education events like the Adult Learners’ Week or Gilbey’s Literacy Awards.