Extra €80 million required for Equality in Further Education
22 Nov 2007 05:41 PM
In response to the Minister, Berni Brady, Director of AONTAS is calling on the government to honour that commitment in the forthcoming budget. According to Ms Brady 'AONTAS acknowledges that some progress has been made to date, but is now calling on the government to allocate an additional €80 million to adult education initiatives in Budget 2008. Adult Learners still experience a number of obstacles in accessing education. The Adult Guidance Service Initiative and the Back to Education Initiative were both specifically set up to address the needs of disadvantaged groups, but are desperately in need of resources. If the government is serious about the role of education in building a more inclusive and equal society, then it must continue to provide the sector with adequate resources.'
In a pre-budget submission launched earlier this month, AONTAS has outlined four priorities for the current government in relation to adult and community education.
These are as follows:
- Implementation of the government commitment as promised in Towards 2016 'to put in place a targeted fund to alleviate the fees in public institutions for part-time courses at third level by those at work who have not previously pursued a third level qualification.' AONTAS calls on the government to allocate €20m as a start-up fund which would give those in part time higher level education parity of esteem with full time students.
- A revision of the eligibility criteria for the Back to Education Allowance to include low paid workers.
- An extra €4m to support the development and expansion of the Adult Education Guidance Initiative.
- A doubling of childcare supports for VTOS, Youthreach, Senior Travellers Training Centres and Back to Education Initiative programmes from €6,350,000 to €13m.
