The history of adult education and training in South Africa is a story of the simultaneous and sometimes conflicting activities of three major actors: organizations of civil society, the state, and capital. Organizations of civil society have led many activities in response to social class, race, and gender inequalities. Strongly motivated within…

A study examined the feasibility of using television to promote adult literacy and adult basic education (ABE) in South Africa. Following a review of the literature on the experience abroad in using television to promote adult literacy, a preliminary report arguing the case for using television to promote adult literacy and ABE in South Africa was…

According to a 1980 estimate, 5,678,000 black South African adults are illiterate. A large number of organizations has been created to address the problem--among them such private sector operations as the South African Committee for Higher Education, Operation TEACH (Teach Every African Child), the Bureau of Literacy and Literature, the Urban…

The Adult Basic Education Program at Umgeni Water, a water authority in South Africa, is a workplace literacy program that seeks to impart skills within the workplace that can be used in community development, benefiting both the business and community involved. From a pilot project in 1989, the adult education program at Umgeni Water has grown…

Presents the activities of an organization, the Storyteller Group, that has been exploring the use of a comic story as a medium for communication with young people and adults who have English as a Second Language and only basic education. Discusses the development of the comic, "The River of Our Dreams" and future plans to develop more…

Five brief articles from a journal published by the Public Affairs Department of the University of Natal, South Africa, discuss issues related to empowering adults through literacy education in that country. "Meeting Needs" (Gwyneth van Heerden) describes the extent and nature of adult illiteracy in South Africa and the activities of the…

Approximately 200 items are listed in this bibliography of materials pertaining to adult literacy in Nigeria, Rhodesia, South Africa, the Sudan, and Tanzania. The listed materials are categorized according to country and deal with a variety of topics, including the following: (1) adult education and adaptation to change in Nigeria; (2) adult…

This reader on literacy provides a clear account of the major perspectives on literacy and adult education through 20 papers divided into three categories. An introduction provides an overview of the content of the papers. Part 1, "Issues," contains seven papers: "Literacy: Access to Power" (Dijkstra); "Development and the…

A discussion of education in South Africa looks at the history of public policy concerning schools for blacks and whites, enrollment trends since 1969, early efforts at desegregation, and obstacles that must be overcome to make education equitable in that country. (MSE)

This booklet contains the materials required to conduct a 2-day popular education workshop to teach community educators ways of overcoming the racial, educational and cultural, and language and literacy barriers to active participation in adult education that are commonly faced by Black adults in South Africa. Presented first is background…

This issue of the "Courier" examines the quality of life as it can be improved by adult education, especially in the countries of Asia, Africa, and the South Pacific. It also looks at the need for women's education. The following six articles are included: (1) "The Future of the Family" (Federico Mayor); (2) "Her Words on…

An introduction (Maurice Amutabi et al.) begins this 25-chapter book on adult education and training (AET) in a context of globalization. Chapter titles and authors are as follows: "The Impact of Globalization on Adult Education (AE)" (Ove Korsgaard); "In Defense of Civil Society: Canadian AE in Neo-Conservative Times" (Michael…

Reviews recent research in multilingualism in Southern Africa, focusing on the role of languages in education, sociolinguistics, and language policy. Much of the research is on South Africa. Topics discussed include language of instruction in schools, teacher education, higher education, adult literacy, language contact, gender and linguistic…

In this book, 16 authors from Europe, Africa, and the United States reflect on the transformations that are currently taking place in the field of adult and continuing education. The 12 chapters are "Reconciling the Irreconcilable? Adult and Continuing Education Between Personal Development, Corporate Concerns, and Public Responsibility"…

These 15 papers share a common theme: seeking to promote literacy as a powerful tool for challenging existing inequalities and dependencies. "Powerful Literacies" (Jim Crowther et al.) is an introduction. Section 1 establishes the theoretical and policy frameworks that underpin the book and shows how literacy is situated in different…