Clinic hears of difficulties meeting the current training and upskilling challenge
1 Mar 2010 03:43 PM
Education spokespeople together with the Minister for Lifelong Learning Sean Haughey heard first hand today about a service that is overstretched and struggling to cope with the current demand from adults for education and training, as well as the frustration being experienced by adults in their attempts to retrain, upskill and pursue their education as adults during difficult times.
Minister for Lifelong Learning, Sean Haughey, along with Green Party TD Paul Gogarty, Fine Gael TD Brian Hayes, and Cllr Aodhan O Riordain from the Labour Party today re-created the format of a constituency clinic in order to hear from providers on the ground, as well as adult learners accessing the services. As unemployment reaches almost 13% , many adults experiencing unemployment and redundancy are turning to further education and training.
'There needs to be greater synergy between the departments of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Education and Science and the Department of Social and Family Affairs,' said AONTAS Director Berni Brady, 'if we are to seriously address the unemployment crisis and make best use of limited resources. The government now has the opportunity to ensure that the connections between departments are strengthened in order to respond to the new challenges that have emerged over the past year and a half.'
One of the issues raised by a number of adult learners attending relates to recent changes in the Budget, which means that adults who receive the Back to Education Allowance will no longer be entitled to a maintenance grant. For many adults, particularly those who dropped out of the formal system this will mean that a third level education is no longer affordable.
John is in his late twenties and is a father of three children. John worked in the horticulture industry for years, becoming unemployed in February 2009 when the company he was working for went bust. Finding himself unemployed for the first time, and without a proper qualification, John decided that he needed a third level qualification. Because he had been out of formal education for some time, John decided to sign up for a PLC course. 'I had hoped to go to NUI Maynooth next year but without the student grant I don't think I can afford it' he said. 'I get the Back to Education Allowance but this is not enough to make ends meet. The cost of books and travel alone would be too much per week for me to take out of the BTEA.' Changes in the Budget will mean that John could lose up to €6,690 towards his education.
Education providers, including Adult Education Officers employed within VECs around the country, also outlined the particular challenges they are experiencing as the demand for education and training continues to increase. The recruitment embargo is affecting the delivery of many public services, but the job descriptions of AEOs means that they are particularly vulnerable to the embargo. Berni Brady explained 'AEOs do not only perform an administrative role - they are crucial in the development of the service, they manage and co-ordinate volunteers as well as paid staff, and are ultimately responsible for the recruitment, retention and support of learners. In Co. Mayo, we now have a situation where both AEOs have retired in the past year, meaning that there is no-one co-ordinating the service at a time when it is needed most. Staff managing the adult education service must be considered frontline staff and should be exempt from the moratorium on recruitment.'
Reacting to what he heard, the Minister said 'The current structure is crying out for reform. There is an absolute need for greater connections between education and social welfare benefits.' Meanwhile Paul Gogarty, Education Spokesperson with the Green Party, suggested that the new Activation fund could be channelled into the cuts in education. Brian Hayes, Fine Gael TD and Spokesperson on Education, called on the Minister to ensure that the role of adult and community education would be more formally recognised and taken seriously within the Department of Education.
This was the closing event for the AONTAS Adult Learners' Festival, with almost 300 events taking place throughout the country during the week.
Note to Editor
1.' Adult Education - A Current Diagnosis '- A short paper illustrating the current demand for adult education and three measures for recovery, was launched at the event and is available from AONTAS.
2. BTEA - The Back to Education Allowance is a scheme for unemployed people, lone parents and people with disabilities who are getting certain payments from the Department of Social and Family Affairs. The allowance can be paid to people who wish to do or take approved second or third level courses of education.
3. The Public Sector Recruitment Embargo: In March 2009, the Department of Finance introduced a recruitment embargo in the public sector which has a direct impact on staff employed within the adult education service. The embargo was accompanied by an Incentivised Scheme of Early Retirement, as well as a Special Civil Service Incentive Career Break.
4. Demand for adult education in various forms has increased dramatically in line with unemployment.
- PLC Courses - 37,000 applicants for 13,000 places in October 2009
- The number of applications through the CAO has increased- up by 10% on last year, and including an increase of mature student applications.
- IOT (Institute of Technology) applications - increased by 19.5% in 2009 from 2008.
- University courses based in the UK - a 50% increase in the number of Irish applicants - with UK authorities citing an increase in the number of mature student applications, rising by 63% of those over 25.
- VTOS places - 50% increase in demand, according to data from the National Association of VTOS Co-ordinators.
- BTEA (the Back to Education Allowance) applications - 18,700 applications approved in October 2009, up on total figures from the previous year of11, 646 applications.
