Further Education Cuts "Government neglecting adult education"
28/09/2009
The University of the Third Age has criticised the Government's lack of commitment to adult education, citing Lord Mandelson's speech to the Labour Party today (28 September) as "giving the impression that the only sort of education that matters is the sort that offers an immediate financial payoff".
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Why the drop in adult learning? I'll tell you why!
You say there has been a drop in the number of adult learners - the drop has actually been in the number of courses. This Government is concentrating on basic education for the 16 - 18 year olds - something which they should have received between the ages of 6 - 16 so they don't have the funding for the "mature" students.
Where are the lost learners? You tell us!
Over the past two years there has been a fall of nearly one and a half million adult learners on publicly funded courses, so the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE) has launched a nationwide search to find out what has happened to them. They are asking Mature Times' readers to share their experiences of adult learning.
Some good news for adult learners
Following the disastrous collapse of community education and loss of affordable classes - even the expensive ones have been lost - the GOOD news is that the government is looking at the value of leisure learning for adults.
Ageism legislation scuppers Adult Learners' fees
Earlier this year, Mature Times reader David Newman placed a petition on the Number 10 website, asking the Prime Minister to stop local councils from using ageism legislation to justify ending the reduction in fees for pensioners who attend adult learning classes. The Government decribes their actions as "unfortunate".
"Adult education contracting"
The choice of Adult Education classes is contracting. My centre refurbished the kitchen where cookery classes were popular - and then axed the courses. Even computer courses have been cut back, although the use of computers in public libraries remains free. Other subjects such as writing have been hit hard, too. Is this a pattern throughout the country?
Petition launched to protest adult learning cuts
A petition has been launched on the “Number 10” website to protest the cuts in subsidies of adult learning classes.
Want to learn? Then sign up!
Old dogs, new tricks?
The Older and Bolder group of NIACE is keen to point out to members that many Local Authorities were considering cutting funding to adult education for older people, and have urged members to look at their local provision to find out what cuts are envisioned.
Learning crisis for adults
Pensioners take learning protest to Parliament
Help the Aged, The WI and the National Pensioners Convention are among those protesting Government funding plans for colleges which will hit older learners particularly hard.
“50+ courses under threat”
Cuts already planned this September to courses for adults will mean that many older people will find that, if the course is still running, the fees may be up to 20% higher. Both cuts and price hikes will worsen further from 2005.