Budget fails to invest in our economic future
15 Oct 2008 11:51 AM
Berni Brady, Director of AONTAS, has reacted with disappointment to yesterday's budget. 'Although there has been an overall increase in the education budget, adult and further education is yet again an easy target for cutbacks. This is bad news for a sector which is already drastically underfunded.'
This budget will mean a step back in achieving the targets set out in the existing programme for government. Although our economic circumstances have changed drastically, the future of our economy is highly dependent on developing our human capital. There is little evidence of this in this year's budget.'
She continued 'The situation is now grim for any adult who wants to go back to education, but we are particularly concerned about low income workers who have been hit very hard by this year's budget. The 1% levy, coupled with a sizeable increase in student registration fees will make a third level education an unrealistic option for anyone on a low income. Ironically, they are those who need it the most.'
Grant provision for adult and further education shows a reduction of €8.5 million or just under 5% on the 2008 estimate. The government has indicated that this will mean an overall reduction of 500 places on the Back to Education Initiative, thereby reducing the number of places to 9,000. The number of places provided in Senior Traveller Training Centres will be reduced by approximately 100.
'These cuts affect particularly vulnerable groups' continued Ms Brady. 'The qualifying criteria for the Back to Education Initiative was expanded in 2007 to include people on low incomes, allowing them flexibility in how they access education. These are the type of initiatives needed to prepare adults for changing jobs, retraining or learning new skills. We are dismayed to see a reduction in the number of places allocated under the initiative.'
Speaking about rationalisation measures identified within the budget, she said 'AONTAS supports the idea of delivering services on the basis of value for money. However, in terms of education, rationalisation measures in this year's budget mean the formal disbandment of the National Adult Learning Council. In the longer term, this deprives an already under resourced sector with a framework and stronger voice at national level. '
'In this budget, it seems that the government has decided to take from the pockets of low income workers, while failing to invest in their longterm future', she concluded.
