South Africa's Department of Education has estimated that there are 3.3 million illiterate adults in South Africa. However, provincial estimates place 13, 2 million people in South Africa with less than a Grade 9 education, and further 4, 2 million adults have no schooling. Most rural South Africans are unable to perform basic day-to-day life activities such as opening a bankaccount, signing, reading a pay slip, operating an auto teller machine, reading anewspaper. In such conditions health literacy, ..undestanding their health options, prescription usage, etc., become near impossibilities

KwaZulu-Natal province is listed as having BOTH the largest population, as well as having the largest rural population. In a speech on April 7, 2006, the Department of Education KwaZulu-Natal, the department of education listed a total of only 29 qualified ABET educators in the entire province, centered in 4 metropolitan areas, Durban, Ladysmith, Pietermaritzburg and Empangeni. AND, in accordance with the April 7, 2006 information, in the 2005-06 school year the Total Intake of learners into the ABET program was 1350 learners. That intake of learners, when compared to the number of South Africans who have less than a Grade 9 education, results in only .00010227 % of the needy population being served in the country in 2006!

In the area of rural east-central KwaZulu-Natal, the ABET program that was operating in the Mtunzini area is no longer viable.
In 2007 the Department of Education began promoting a "Master Teacher" programme to begin to address the problem. However, there is always a long lag between the initiation of programs and their measured effect on a population.
CESLA also recognizes the problem and is making future provisions to adult literacy to better integrate adults into understanding and managing their futures by re-starting the Mtunzini ABET programme.

INTERVIEW WITH GEORGINA
Georgina is a local Zulu lady who was unable to finish her standard education. In such a situation, many are rendered unemployable, or if fortunate are able to get positions as "domestics" (maids or gardeners).
Through the ABET program Georgina was able to get an educational equivalency certificate. Following the completion of the ABET program Georgina is a valued staff member of a "large household" with many duties other than "maid." She is now able to save for her and her extended family's future andnow lives in a house with running water, electricity and a flush toilet.
HOWEVER, the ABET program that Georgina went through is now unavailable in the east=central area of KwaZulu-Natal, due to a lack of funds and available education staff.

CESLA's President is a TESOL specialist who is looking into re-opening the ABET program in the Mtunzini area of KwaZulu-Natal.

Download the April 7, 2006 ABET/KZN speech
"click above title"