Lifelong Learning: Exploring Learning, Equity and Redress, and Access

This essay explores lifelong learning in South Africa according to three basic principles in education. Firstly we explore learning as central to both economic and social cohesion. This suggests that lifelong learning cannot simply be driven by a need to secure economic prosperity but has to focus on the ‘capacity of citizens to exercise and enforce democratic rights and participate effectively in decision making’, as the National Plan for Higher Education (Ministry of Education 2001, p. 7) indicates. Secondly we explore learning in relation to challenges around equity and redress. Thirdly we focus on access in higher education. We contend that particular groups such as Africans, women, non-traditional learners, students from working-class and rural backgrounds, the disabled and adults are as yet not equitably represented in the higher education system.