THE fruit farm Nieuwe Sion in Simondium has joined the growing number of farms in the province that have introduced literacy and numeracy training for workers.
Sixteen of the farm’s workers were awarded literacy certificates on 26 May.
Supported by the farm owners’ enthusiasm for skills development, an assessment of the training needs amongst farm workers revealed a critical need for literacy and numeracy training.
“Literacy levels on the farm were very low in 2005. Our high quality production requirements can only be made possible if we have skilled, confident workers and leaders,” says farm manager, Fielies du Toit.
This was when the farm partnered with the AgriSETA, adult education specialists Media Works, and the Waitrose Foundation to implement literacy and numeracy training for farm workers.
Targeted at all farm workers, the literacy levels vary from people who are learning to read and write to those who want to further improve their English or Afrikaans literacy skills.
“ Typically training programmes in the agricultural sector can experience high drop-out rates due to long periods of interruption during the harvesting period and fear of the unknown,” adds du Toit.
Critical and often unrecognised benefits of literacy training are the life-skills adult learners gain from the training.
Says Hendrik Le Kay,“It boosted my self-esteem, changed my outlook on life and exposed me to using a computer. It is more than literacy and numeracy; it is a new beginning.”
