The Value of Adult and Community Education and Training to the Empowerment of Rural Women in South Africa

Abstract

The imbalances of the South African education system before 1994 resulted in many rural women predominantly without education and training. The lack of primary education and skills has beckoned many women to ill-treatment, rejection, vulnerability, abuse, hunger, diseases, poverty, and unemployment. For women to thrive socially and economically, education is crucial. So Adult and Community Education and Training (ACET) for the underprivileged rural women are essential for development and empowerment today. The overarching aim of ACET is to empower rural women with knowledge and livelihood skills to tackle their socio-economic problems. The study, therefore, aimed to explore the significance of ACET on the socio-economic lives of women, especially those in rural areas. The researchers conducted qualitative interviews with 35 women who were purposively selected for the study and deemed information-rich. The study's findings indicated a lack of skills training programs to empower women and a lack of access to ACET programs. Therefore, the paper recommends that ACET programs be structured to meet the learning needs of women.