The DBE organised graduation ceremonies in the North West Province on 28 and 29 July 20l6, to credit adult learners who have done well in adult literacy. The Deputy Minister of Basic Education, Mr Enver Surty, and the CEO of the Kha Ri Gude Unit, Dr Morongwa Ramarumo, presented certificates of recognition to the graduates. These graduates are part of the Kha Ri Gude learners who joined the project in the 2014/15 Financial Year. Having graduated the adult learners are now eligible to further their studies with the Department of Higher Education and Training through Continuing Education Training (CET) designed to empower South Africans for employability.

The CET Programme refers to all learning and training programmes leading to qualifications at levels 1 to 4 of the National Qualification Framework provided for at a college in terms of the Further Education and Training Colleges Amendment Act, 2013, Section 1. (b) (Vol.573, Government Gazette No 36271, 19 March 2013). Adult education and training, as well as community education training have a vital role to play in addressing the education and development needs of out of school youth and adults, especially those who have been and may still be disadvantaged as a result of past and social inequalities relating to class, race, gender, age and disability.

The Kha Ri Gude Mass Literacy Campaign continues to reach out to a multitude of South African adults who never had an opportunity to acquire basic skills such as reading, writing and counting prior to 1994. The total number of adult learners who have been confirmed literate citizens through the Kha Ri Gude Campaign stands at 4,2 million in 2016 – an increase from 4,7 million illiterate learners in 2008 when the project commenced. Government introduced the Kha Ri Gude Mass Literacy Campaign to improve the level of literacy in various South African communities, specifically targeting South African adults who never attended school.

Addressing the North West community, Deputy Minister Surty said Government has made major strides in providing literacy skills to South African citizens and highlighted that the Kha Ri Gude Campaign is one of the projects that is playing a vital role in terms of improving the lives of people living in South Africa. Apart from teaching illiterate adults to read, write and count, the project also created jobs for more than 40 000 people in the country. The Deputy Minister used the opportunity to remind parents to read to their children. He then congratulated the graduates and wished them well in their future endeavours.