BASIC EDUCATION is a vital necessity in improving the business efficiency, and employment prospects, of black staff in the rural districts, according to Brian Kalshoven, m.d. of Beitbridge Border Clearing Agency, and SAAFF (SA Association of Freight Forwarders) chairman for the region.
This was highlighted last year, he told FTW, when - wearing his course facilitator's hat - he presented the Skills Development Service's course on Introduction to Customs Clearing to more than 200 people employed by the various agencies operating in Beitbridge.
It became apparent that some, while having the intelligence to sail through the practical side of the material, really struggled to understand, assimilate and regurgitate the fairly arcane language with which we surround ourselves in this industry.
It soon became apparent that what was lacking was the basic English and, to an extent, the numeracy skills, necessary to satisfy an examiner that the course material had been understood.
Kalshoven had heard of ABET (adult basic education and training) and decided to investigate whether this would be helpful in overcoming this lack of basic language skills.
An on-the-spot assessment by Mariette Richards of Megaw and Associates revealed that their ABET material would indeed fill a valuable role - and an initial course was planned.
We needed a minimum of 15 possible candidates to make the scheme worthwhile, said Kalshoven. But on assessment day they just kept coming, and we finally tested more than 40 people.
This prompted Kalshoven to establish his own training operation under the guidance of Mariette Richards and her Peoples Education Group (PEG) ABET course.
The first course - run by myself and my daughter, Lara Linder - had 32 students enrolled for the classes starting in February, he told FTW. All of the students are very keen to learn, and Lara and I have been most gratified by the positive response to our teaching methods.
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