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Monash South Africa staff benefit from skills training programme

25 March 2008

Monash South Africa staff benefit from skills training programme
From the left: Front row: Pretty Ngubane, Sheila Kumalo and Vicky Maila
2nd row: Sylviah Monama, Mondie Seithlamo, Maureen Ngwenya (Housekeeping Supervisor and ABET English Literacy facilitator)
3rd row: Nicolene Murdoch (Director, Institutional Planning and QA), Brenda Seithlamo, Godfrey Kgnaka, Christine Maritz (Skills Development Facilitator)
Back row : Abram Sejake and Lincoln Mapampola

As part of its commitment to staff development, Monash South Africa has introduced the Adult Basic Education and Training (ABET) programme at its campus in Ruimsig.

Initially a member of Monash staff and a student volunteer were trained as ABET course facilitators, then during March 12 Monash staff members, from the housekeeping, security and maintenance departments began the first computer-based ABET English Literacy course.

“The ABET programme is one of the priorities within our 2008 Workplace Skills Plan,” says Christine Maritz, Skills Development Facilitator at Monash. “It is in compliance with the Skills Development Act of 2003, which provides a framework for companies to implement national, sector and workplace strategies to develop and improve the skills of the South African workforce.”

The ABET programme being rolled out at Monash focuses mostly on English literacy and numeracy skills training. At the beginning of the course participants are introduced to English literacy skills and the primary focus is for individual participants to learn to read and write, to pronounce words and spell correctly as well as to widen vocabulary.

Once basic literacy levels are in place, many other life skills are also taught during this course, for example, introduction to computers, using a telephone directory and an ATM, study techniques, exam writing skills and wildlife conservation.

Monash intends to gradually extend the ABET programme to members of the surrounding community on Saturday mornings. A group of five participants have already begun the first community-based course which is being facilitated by a Monash student volunteer.