St. Joseph's Adult Education Programme

About us

St. Joseph's Adult Education Programme, which was established in 1995, has a very extensive programme with 5 independent projects. The general courses include computer training, business courses, photography and sewing.

The large literacy project offers free tuition in the dominant languages of the Western Cape. Experienced and qualified literacy teachers give these classes. There will be three literacy courses featuring the dominant languages. These courses are specifically for mother tongue speakers. The learners will be given the tools, to not only decipher their world, but also to understand their reality with all its symbols.

The alternative health project offers Kundalini yoga, vegetarian cooking, tai chi, fencing, belly dancing, foot reflexology treatments and Chinese cookery. St. Joseph's Adult Education Programme has always felt, that the alternative health sector has been out of the reach of the greater community and in an attempt to rectify the situation, it offers courses in this field.

There is a Montessori Xhosa training project. As it believes, Montessori Education is not only for the privileged few and in line with the philosophy of Maria Montessori, the programme has decided, to make accessible the methodology of Montessori training to the disadvantaged community. Guest lecturers will offer workshops and training on specific themes relating to the relevant section, i.e. HIV/AIDS, health, computer literacy, gender awareness, culture, business skills and social development issues.

There is a large cultural programme, which is offered to the general public of Cape Town and to its learners. It has included performances by the Russian concert pianist, Victor Rybchikov on his debut visit to Cape Town, workshops by Michael Rosenzweig, a conductor and composer based in London and performances by the British based Alibas quartet.

The projects offers a free child care facility, so that the learners can attend classes, and it picks up learners, who live in inaccessible areas and disabled learners.

For other net participants we can offer overnight facilities. Further we can offer an expert guidance through trained staff, deliver a lecture and establish new contacts in the field of our work. We are interested in learning more about other projects of the same nature in other countries.