Challenges faced by incarcerated learners when progressing from Adult Education and Training level 4 to Grade 10

Abstract

This study was motivated by an observation in the Department of Correctional Services Strategic Plan of 2011 in which the Department targeted 60,9% of learners to participate in the Further Education and Training (FET) band but a mere 13.1% were eligible upon registration. Currently, the South African Department of Correctional Services offers incarcerated learners between 14 to 18 years old (juveniles and youth) an education pathway designed for adults. The purpose of this study was to investigate the challenges experienced by educationists as well as incarcerated learners during this progression. A qualitative research design using an interpretive paradigm was employed. The sample was purposively selected from a correctional facility in the Limpopo, Mpumalanga and North West (LMN) region with two schools inside the correctional facility: one school was for adult learners whilst the other was for juvenile learners. A total of six (6) educationists (3 males and 3 females) and ten (10) male incarcerated learners participated in the study. Only male incarcerated learners were selected for this study because there were no female learners registered full-time for Grades 10 to 12 at either facility. In order to gather data, interviews with educationists were conducted to acquire rich and thick descriptions while more detailed explanations were collected from incarcerated learners (ILs) through reflective essays about how they perceived their progression. The interviews with the educationists were audio recorded. Qualitative data were collected from incarcerated learners through a questionnaire with thirteen (13) questions and used to triangulate and validate the other data sources. The key findings of this study demonstrate that; curriculum matters, learner personal problems, educator perceptions and institutional challenges have a negative impact on learner progression from AET level 4 to Grade 10 within correctional schools. This study will assist policy developers and the Department of Correctional Services to take note of the challenges experienced by the educationists as well as incarcerated learners during the progression from AET level 4 to Grade 10. The study will further help to ensure that either the current curriculum is restructured, or a completely new curriculum is designed to be offered to incarcerated learners lower than Grade 10 within the correctional schools