LEARNING NEEDS OF THIRD WORLD COMMUNITIES

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CHAPTER 2 LEARNING NEEDS OF THIRD WORLD COMMUNITIES

Introduction

What has happened in modern society to confront traditional education with demands for change? According to Wedemeyer (1981:35) modern society has experienced the following:
a. a population « explosion .. ,
b. a knowledge « explosion »,
c. an increase in the complexity of all facets of life,
d. an increase in the educational requirements of almost all occupations,
e. an acceleration of the rate-of-change in nearly all occupations, particularly as related to
f.jobknowledge
g.technology,
an increase in the probability that substantial numbers of workers of nearly all classes must face periods of personal obsolescence during their lifetimes – obsolescence which will not be removed without personal retraining or re-education, an increased mobility of almost all citizens – an advantage in following certain job or educational opportunities, but a disadvantage in that the mobile seeker of opportunity is a disenfranchised citizen who has lost his roots in a community, who may now become a person without strong social, political, economic, or educational « place » or a culture,
h.an increase in the number of learner groups that must be served by education, as a result of social, economic and technological changes that have in recent years brought to women greater freedom from home and family duties than ever before, and to some men, periods free from the necessity of gainful employment,
i.in addition, members of sub-cultures within our society, have special needs that may nat be met by conventional instruction, but cannot became useful members of society without adequate education.
Coombs (1985) states that the mast prolific breeder of new human learning needs throughout the world since World War I I has been development itself. By development is meant different forms of technological, social, economic and cultural changes and advances. He says: « Although the aggregate increase in the number of learners has clearly had a sizable impact an world educational requirements~ it seems evident that the increase in the lifetime learning needs of the average learner resulting Tram these dynamic development « factors has been an even greater cause of the explosive growth of overall learning needs » ( 1985:57). Th~ changed context of education has presented society with new categories of learners, new needs, new subject matter, and new educational objectives.

Learning needs of Third-World communities

By using relevant literature and presenting a number of learning need structures, an attempt will be made to give an indication of the broad spectrum of learning needs that exist among socially disadvantaged individuals and groups.

The learning needs of socially disadvantaged adults

According to Kaye and Harry (1982:9-10) it would seem that the following areas are of rel€vance: functional literacy and numeracy skills, related in the first instance to everyday needs of a practical sort (reading newspapers, following instructions, filling in forms, keeping account of household expenditure, shopping, etc.) social coping skills needed to survive in, and overcome the complexities of modern society (in, for example, seeking employment, finding out one’s rights in housing, social services, health care, and taking action to obtain them) parental and family education aimed, for example, at helping parents to understand and participate in the educational, physical, and psychological development of their children consumer education and domestic economy, aimed at helping people to learn for themselves how to go about getting the « best buy » for the goods and services which they require, and at providing information and guidance on, for example, balancing a housekeeping budget, and at carrying out basic repair and maintenance tasks in the home community education: provision of help and information which wi 11 enable members of a community as a group to take actions to improve their situation through mutual co-operation (e.g. action to obtain improved health, educational, and employment provision) the raising of levels of awareness about existing opportunities for formal and non-formal education and for professional and vocational training, including the breaking down of any psychological barriers which seem to prevent many members of disadvantaged groups from using the existing provisions
preparation for vocational and professional training associated, for example, with re-conversion to new or different employment sectors provision of elementary and secondary education equivalent facilities in specific subjects for adults who, for whatever reason, missed out on schooling provision during their childhood.

Social learning needs of Black adolescents in South Africa

Groenewald (1986:71-72) did research to identify the social learning needs of Black adolescents in South Africa. The priority order of learning needs are grouped together per category:

A Communication between parents and children

• Motivation by the parents on the importance of a good education
• To understand the expectations of parents
• The necessity of maintaining family discipline by the parents
• An interesting feature in this category is the adolescents’ first choice of the « motivation by the parents on the importance of a good education ». The second choice illustrates the communication gap between parents and children. The remaining choices emphasise the need of young Blacks for better guidance by their parents on various matters.

B Technological Skills (learning more about)

• To improve one s general scientific knowledge
• How to drive a car or motor cycle
• How to use computers
• Computers in general
• Electricity

c School-based programmes

• Study methods
• Prescribed books at school
• Language courses
• Biology
• Physics and Chemistry
• Mathematics
• Accountancy
• Geography
• History

The need for sound study methods is an important factor in achieving academic success. One possible reason why prescribed books are rated very highly may be the use of pr~scribed books in the official languages and the difficulty for Blacks to understand the cultural milieu of these books.

D Personal development

• Personal rights, privileges and responsibilities
• Development of self-image
• Self-defence
• Understanding oneself (aspirations and expectations)
• Personal relations
• Greater involvement in the community
• Understanding one’s fellow men
• Social etiquette
• How to handle retarded people
• Marriage
• In this category personal rights, privileges and responsibilities were the first choice. It is probably the rate of change in the Black communities that is the underlying motivation for this choice. The development of a self-image, the second choice, forms and integral part of a search for identity.

E Financial matters

• How to save and spend money responsibly
• How to draw up a budget
• Conditions of service (e.g. pension unemployment benefits, etc.)
• Insurance: its nature and functions
• What the informal business sector is
• What the small business sector is

F Prevention of crime

• Abuse of liquor
• Assault and murder
• Abuse of drugs
• Theft
• Rape
• Arson

G Individual care

• How to improve personal hygiene
• Skin and hair care
• Latest fashions

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION, THEME ANALYSIS AND STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
1.1 Introduction
1.2 Conceptualisation
1. 3 Theme analysis
1.4 The integration of strategies to alleviate the
1.5 problem of milieu-deprivation
1.6 Statement of the problem
1.7 Central theoretical thesis
1.8 Research method
CHAPTER 2 LEARNING NEEDS OF THIRD WORLD COMMUNITIES
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Learning needs of Third World communities
2.3 A comprehensive summary of learning needs
2.4 Synopsis
CHAPTER 3 THE INTEGRATION OF STRATEGIES FOR NON-FORMAL EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT IN THIRD WORLD COMMUNITIES
3.1 Introduction
3.2 The community education set-up as infrastructure for the integration of educational and developmental strategies
3.3 The integration of development communication strategies within a community education set-up
3.4 Synopsis
CHAPTER 4 FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
4.1 Findings of the study
4.2 Recommendations resulting from this study
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