1. Background

The South African National Literacy Initiative (SANLI), which caters for pre-ABET and ABET Level 1 learners, is part of the Tirisano programme initiated by the Minister of Education. The campaign is being co-ordinated by the National Department of Education in partnership with UNISA. The project manager in the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) is Mr André Damon.

2. Implementation of the Initiative
2.1 The campaign is run by volunteers who each receive an honorarium.
2.2 All current and future ABET Level 1 learners must be enrolled as SANLI learners for the duration of the campaign.

While educators currently employed by CLCs to teach Level 1 can take on additional groups on a volunteer basis, their employment status at the CLC should not change until their contracts expire. Thereafter, their contracts could be renegotiated, taking into consideration the honorarium received from SANLI.
2.3 Support to those involved occurs at two levels:

  • Every group of 8 volunteer educators are monitored and supported by a volunteer monitor

  • Every group of 8 monitors are monitored and supported by a volunteer co-ordinator.
2.4 Note that SANLI monitors report to SANLI co-ordinators, and not to their centre managers. Therefore, centre managers and SANLI monitors should meet regularly in clusters. The centre managers and SANLI co-ordinators must determine the number and frequency of these meetings.
2.5 Centre managers must assist SANLI learning sites which are in close proximity to their CLCs and which are not registered, to register with the WCED so as to facilitate learners’ transition to ABET Level 2.
2.6 CLCs must conduct a placement test for each learner who wishes to enrol for ABET Level 2.

3. SANLI Curriculum and Learning Support Material (LSM)
3.1 The initiative’s curriculum is based on the ABET Level 1 Unit Standards for Language, Literacy and Communication (LLC) and Mathematics, Mathematical Literacy and Mathematical Science (MMLMS). Therefore, learners have access to primary and additional languages, and numeracy. Additions to the curriculum are AIDS Education, Entrepreneurship and Voter Education. Learner progress is continuously assessed and mechanisms have been established to ensure authenticity.

The LSM used includes material developed by Operation Upgrade, ABE Services and Project Literacy. The AIDS and Entrepreneurship material has been developed by UNISA, and the Voter Education booklets by the Independent Electoral Committee. All the LSM is provided by UNISA.


We encourage all community learning centres to participate in and support this initiative.



SIGNED: P.A. VINJEVOLD
HEAD: EDUCATION
DATE: 2003:06:25