"How Masifundisane was born" speech by KwaZulu-Natal Education MEC Ina Cronje at the Mass Graduation of Masifundisane learners

In April 2004 when I was sworn in as MEC for Education in KwaZulu-Natal, that was when Masifundisane was born. Unaware that the new Premier Sibusiso Ndebele had also prioritised adult literacy, I announced my desire to free our illiterate adults in KwaZulu-Natal from their prison of illiteracy. When the Premier also mentioned it as one of his passions I was over the moon. The promotion of adult literacy is about nation building. It is our social contract with the people of KwaZulu-Natal.

At that time we had a lot of expertise within the Department, as well as at tertiary institutions and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) but nobody was talking to each other. On 13 August 2004 at an Adult Basic Education and Training Consultative Workshop at Pietermaritzburg Girls' High we formed a task team, consisting of representatives from the education department, universities, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and other ABET experts.

It was clear to me: adult learning had to go to where the people are: to schools, community halls, church halls, clinics and private homes. We had to get away from the mindset to have specially built ABET centres. It did not make sense that an illiterate person, who is often poor, pays for transport to a centre, while there is a school or another facility on her or his doorstep. On my instruction a ministerial task team was formed to explore the possibilities of a massification of adult literacy.

The task team, which also included a staff member of the Premier's Office, my great ally in the eradication of illiteracy also had to look into non-formal ABET training for people. We needed something for people who don't want to go to university but have a burning desire to be able to read and write. Statistically only one out of 40 adult learners writes ABET examinations. On average it takes about 12 years for an adult learner without any schooling to get a General Education and Training Certificate (grade nine) - not something older adult learners necessarily want to achieve.

ABET experts told us that older adult learners often want to be able to read and write as a stepping stone to start their own enterprises. The majority don't want to write the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) examinations or any formal examinations for that matter. However, the needs of younger adult learners, who want the skills to enable them to go on to further and higher education, should not be neglected. But formal ABET classes are already the response to that need.

At a consultative ABET Stakeholders Forum in March 2005 we were challenged by the Premier to come forward with a plan by 2008 to wipe out illiteracy in KwaZulu-Natal. The race in KwaZulu-Natal was on and we spread the message: Any person, who can read, write and count in this province, has a responsibility to personally make a difference in eradicating illiteracy. Our focus would be on providing learning opportunities for people, who are over 15 years of age and who have had no primary schooling or whose primary schooling is incomplete. People were saying it loud and clear, they see the ability to read, write and count, as the key to open a bigger door, the door to independence and to freedom from the shackles of poverty.

The terms of reference to the ministerial task team, established in 2004, were clear:

* Create a business plan with clearly stated targets and time frames for the eradication of illiteracy, which I can take to Cabinet for adoption as a programme of action for the whole province.

Regular meetings were held by the task team and the name favoured was "Masifundisane". Once adopted by Cabinet the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Education department provided the leadership, co-ordination and support services for a province wide ABET initiative. This would be done on a partnership basis with all stakeholders including other provincial departments, schools, Further Education Training (FET) colleges, NGOs, religious groups and service organisations.

The input of Dr Cassius Lubisi when he joined us in 2005 as head of the department was very valuable, especially his research on different models, including the Cuban model. A secretariat was appointed in 2006 and Cynthia Mpati was appointed to spearhead the Masifundisane component throughout the province. In June 2006 I lead a delegation to Cuba to attend the World Conference on Literacy, accompanied by Cynthia Mpati, as well as other key members who would form the Masifundisane Secretariat.

Inspired by the success of the Cuban model, which received the UNESCO Literacy prize and which has been successfully replicated in countries such as Venezuela, Ecuador and New Zealand, we adapted the model according to our needs. The rest is history: Masifundisane has truly become an inclusive community programme. This is illustrated by the involvement of 92 partner organisations.

Qalakabusha was last year chosen as the pilot project that would see the first prisoners accessing the KwaZulu-Natal Education Department's community literacy programme, Masifundisane. Inmates with a grade 12 education certificate volunteered as facilitators to guide illiterate fellow inmates through a four-month course in basic literacy and numeracy. On July 31, 2007, the first intake of learners graduated at Qalakabusha with results that are reaching beyond the prison's walls. I had the pleasure to hand certificates to them at Qalakabusha Prison in Empangeni.

Today we can shake the hands of 8 000 of our own adult citizens who can now read and write, a skill they did not have a year ago. They will now be proceeding to learn numeracy (Izibalo). We are particularly pleased that Masifundisane is developing learning families, parents and grandparents who are able to support learners to perform better at school parents who have been empowered to participate in school governance matters.

The arrival of Masifundisane was a challenge but it forced our officials to develop their talents, such as writing suitable and contextual materials for our learners. Ten internal publications have already seen the light. By implementing Masifundisane we have also created more than 3 000 part time jobs for facilitators in training. This equals R36 million per annum. Masifundisane has thrived and continues to thrive on the goodwill of many academics that have never stopped to evaluate our ideas and to give suggestions. Many of these people are retired professional with a wealth of experience in fields such as Managing Information and Educational Monitoring. We sincerely hope that all these skills will be passed on to the younger learners in the province.

Of our department's target of 300 000 set for this financial year, 74 000 people have already been recruited. These exclude our 8 000 graduates today. We thank the Premier and the Provincial Cabinet for their support in Getting KwaZulu-Natal Learning, our motto since we took office. Senza iKwaZulu-iNatali is now a reality. With the continued support of everybody in the province we will reach the target to have KZN being declared a territory free of illiteracy by 2009.

Forward to life long learning! Phambili Masifundisane! Phambili!

Issued by: Department of Education, KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government
11 September 2007