Aontas: adult education sector struggling to meet demand
The government has still to fully embrace the potential of adult education to combat recession and contribute to the knowledge economy, said Berni Brady, Director of AONTAS, the National Adult Learning Organisation. She was speaking at an annual gathering of representatives from the adult education sector, as well as adult learners, today at the Clarion Hotel in Dublin.
Earlier in the year AONTAS met with Minister for Lifelong Learning Sean Haughey along with Education Spokespeople from Opposition and Government Parties. Research conducted by AONTAS identified three key stumbling blocks in meeting the upskilling challenge. Firstly, the public service recruitment embargo is stretching the capacity of the adult education services to cope with the demand for education and training. Secondly, changes in Budget 2010 mean that adults on the Back to Education Allowance will now no longer qualify for the maintenance grant. This will prevent many adults, particularly those with dependents, from taking up a third level qualification this year. Finally, access to accurate and up to date information about qualifying criteria and financial supports available is crucially important to those looking to retrain and upskill - so that those signing onto the live register are fasttracked into education and training which will lead to employment or further education.
Demand for places on VEC courses is in proportion to the rising demand for third level and PLC courses, with VECs around the country estimating that there are three applicants for every place. Meanwhile almost 21,000 adults in the academic year 2009-2010 were in receipt of the Back to Education Allowance - an increase of almost 80% on the previous year. Budget 2010 earmarked €20 million for a number of new Activation measures, details of which are to be announced in the coming weeks. Response and take up of new measures has been mixed, while the demand for third level from adults has soared.
'What we're seeing is a lot of lipservice and rhetoric about the knowledge economy, but very little progress in practical terms', said Ms Brady. 'There is ultimately a contradiction - where on the one hand people are being encouraged to upskill and return to education, while on the other hand financial obstacles are being placed in their way.'
The meeting encouraged those present to contribute to the new AONTAS strategic plan, by outlining the current challenges they experience as education providers, and as learners. The new plan will run from 2011 to 2013. The plan is both a challenge and an opportunity, given the change in economic circumstances, explained Ms Brady. 'We no longer have access to the same resources, so we need to ensure that funding is spent wisely, and that there is better collaboration between agencies, government departments and providers. We need to promote the work that we do so that we demonstrate the value of adult education and lifelong learning.' Ms Brady said she was also encouraged to see the increase in numbers participating in adult education. 'People realise that during a downturn, skills and qualifications really give you the edge. It's time now for the government to step up to the plate.'
