Abstract
M.Ed. (Education)
In a country, which has recently acquired its democracy, education for all citizens is of
primary concern. During this time when South Africa finds its self in a period of
transition and of prioritising items on its agenda, education in general and in particular
education of those who had a little or no education at all, is high on the priority list.
Women in the past have been discriminated against and thus deprived of equal access
to educational experiences and the accumulation of skills and qualifications - aspects
that affected their daily lives. Therefore, many women have not had opportunities for
personal development, choice of work and the capacity to influence political decisions.
The aim of this study was to explore the experiences that women learners encountered
within an ABET programme. Due to the limited research done on women's learning
within ABET programmes in South Africa, women learners have been isolated and
marginalised in all levels of education. Despite this, women, who head up a third of
the world's households, are not often identified as vital role players for the
sustainability of communities especially in relation to issues concerning health, social
welfare and economic activities.
In order to obtain a greater understanding of the experiences of women learners within
ABET programmes, this study was designed to elicit the views of women in an ABET
programme. Qualitative methods of data collection and analysis were utilised in this
process and I used the constant comparative method of data analysis to search for
recurring themes and patterns
The most prominent findings emerging from the study was that women felt advantaged
as members of a community of learners. It was also evident that numerous factors
restricted effective learning for women. In addition, academic progress and selfconfidence
that would serve as a foundation for future learning also emerged as an
important finding...