The "Comparative Indicators of Education" report series has been published on a biennial basis since it began in 2002, although this year's is the first to expand its focus to the G-20 countries, having previously been focused on the G-8 countries. "Comparative Indicators of Education in the United States and Other G-20 Countries:…

This report was produced for the 2012 Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers meeting in Mauritius. Its main purpose is to track the historical progress and likelihood of attainment of Education For All and education-specific Millennium Development Goals while also critically reviewing the methods used to track this progress. The analyses…

The two studies included in this volume, both dealing with the subject of literacy and sustainable development, are joint winners of the 2004-2005 International Award for Literacy Research, sponsored jointly by the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning, Hamburg, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) and the Canadian…

This publication contains the results of the conference "South-South Policy Dialogue on Quality Education for Adults and Young People" that took place in Mexico City in 2005. Articles were written by participants who presented their national programmes from the governmental perspective, which were reflected in the literacy policies, but…

Beyond 3Rs to learning within political action to functional literacy to life skills, the discourse on adult literacy has primarily been defined by civil society organizations. This article presents thoughts on adult literacy programs coming from educators and advocates and the underlying dilemmas of autonomy and collaboration with government for…

This paper is concerned with the implications of a social view of literacy for the policy and practice of adult literacy. Taking the example of a recent literacy project in South Africa and comparing this with the author's own ethnographic research among learners from the National Literacy Programme in Namibia, the paper discusses the possible…

In South Africa, adult literacy is vaguely acknowledged and thought to be worthy, but on the whole, industrialists, educators, and political activists ignore it. This article outlines what has been done to promote adult literacy, looks critically at the present situation, and spells out constraints. Focuses on the impact of political factors. (JOW)

Literacy is power--the power to improve one's life and shape one's community. All people should know how to read and write, yet 771 million people (18 percent of the world's population) are illiterate. The programs described in this booklet address this challenge. They are samples of a few of the many hundreds of excellent programs around the…

Examines literacy and work in a high-performance workplace: a factory in South Africa. Conducts the study where workers have secure jobs and are part of a globalised enterprise with a declared policy of empowering workers. Shows that the employees commonly experience their workplace as a highly stressful environment where new learning and…

A participatory English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) curriculum development project in South Africa, "Use, Speak and Write English" (USWE), is described. USWE's attempt to translate its curriculum framework into workable materials is reported. Suggestions for handling the challenges facing adult basic education are suggested. (Contains 40…

Literacy data were collected on a 5 percent sample of the Republic of South Africa's 1980 population census. Approximately 5 million persons aged 20 or older were found to be illiterate. The racial breakdown of the literacy rate among the different population groups was as follows: Asians, 79.84 percent; whites, 97.18 percent; racially mixed…

Literacy trends among Black adults in the Republic of South Africa and in some Black states in southern Africa were determined from data obtained from population census reports from 1946 to 1970. Problems concerning the determination of literacy statistics included differing definitions of literacy and data that were subjective, difficult to…

"Review of Adult Learning and Literacy: Connecting Research, Policy, and Practice, Volume 7" is the newest volume in a series of annual publications of the National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy (NCSALL) that address major issues, the latest research, and the best practices in the field of adult literacy and…

Family literacy is relevant in the education of the child, especially in the South African context with its millions of people, especially those in disadvantaged rural areas, who are currently illiterate or insufficiently literate. The level of literacy in the home and a child's exposure to learning experiences influence the success of instruction…

Observations of the relationship between South Africa's universities and adult literacy are offered by a British Council consultant after a visit to South Africa. The purpose was to help university lecturers design and develop an adult literacy course and to give seminars to local literacy groups. Impressions are described on the state of…