A Batho Pele based programme for adult basic education and training

Abstract

The objectives of this research were to investigate the experiences of adult basic education and training educators and learners in their teaching and learning centres; and to develop a humanistic programme infused with Batho-Pele principles for use in adult basic education and training in South Africa. Both the literature review and the qualitative empirical research methods were used to achieve these objectives. The literature review revealed that Batho-Pele is a South African public service initiative to get public servants to be service orientated, to strive for excellence in service delivery and to commit to continuous service delivery improvement. It allows South African citizens to hold public servants accountable for the level of services they deliver. These two statements make it clear that Batho-Pele is not an "add-on" activity, but it is a way of delivering services by putting citizens at the centre of public service planning and operations, which also means that Batho-Pele seeks to include all citizens for the achievement of a better-life-for-all through services and programmes of a democratic nature. The literature review also revealed that Batho-Pele encapsulates ubuntu/botho ideals. Interdependence, communalism, sensitivity towards others and caring for others are some of the aspects of ubuntu as a way of life. The community and belonging to a community is part of the essence of traditional African human life. Humanness is very important in Batho-Pele and Ubuntu way of life in the sense of seeing human needs, interests and dignity as fundamental to human existence. It was evident from the literature review proceedings that traditional Africans believed that these ideals are communally accepted and desirable ethical standards that a person acquires throughout his/her life. From the foregoing paragraph it is clear that for Batho-Pele service to succeed in communities, management culture in adult basic education and training centres in communities has to be changed to accommodate Batho-Pele as a way of life. This means that adult basic education and training centres should take stock of their educational values, as well as behaviours and attitudes of people they serve. In this way, adult basic education and training centres would then be able to take necessary steps to prepare their educators for the revitalized Batho-Pele Culture of responsiveness, efficiency and effectiveness in delivering services to the adult learners. This research was conducted from an andragogical (an approach to education and training) based on assumptions of learner-as-adult) and ubuntugogical (an approach that emphasizes African way of life that promotes the common good of society and includes humanness as an essential element of human growth. An essential element of human growth, according to this approach, is that the community always comes first. The individual is born out of and into the community, therefore will always be part of the community) paradigms. A humanistic programme infused with Batho-Pele principles for use in adult basic education and training in South Africa was developed.