It will not come to anyone’s surprise that the coalition is once again targeting their cuts agenda at those most disadvantaged in society. But what is coming next is just unthinkable.
This week the Association of Colleges claimed that if the government continues to cut back adult education funding, courses for mature learners just will not exist beyond 2020 – and it is right.
During this parliament we have seen a consistent and pernicious cut to funding for students aged 19+ in colleges, and the situation is about to get a whole lot worse.
The Tories have decided to ringfence funding for adult apprenticeships, not necessarily a move the Labour party should not support. As the arms race for apprenticeship numbers continues, as long as good quality apprenticeships with decent financial support are on offer, we should embrace more of the population earning while they learn a trade hands on.
But as ever with this government, the devil is in the detail. Overall, the adult education budget is being cut by 11 per cent – not a cut to be dismissed as small or insignificant. However, the real story here is that because of the ringfenced apprenticeship funding, other areas of adult education face cuts of up to 24 per cent.
Tie that in with the 17.5 per cent cut to funding for 18-year-olds in colleges, along with the government’s decision to push the full cost of adult education courses onto learners – they used to fund 50 per cent – with higher education-style student loans and we are left with a devastated further education sector and colleges with a large adult education offer on the brink of bankruptcy.
In total we are talking about a 20 per cent reduction in funding over this parliament. One million learners removed from the education system since 2010.
Labour needs to think long and hard about what happens next. Ed Balls’ zero-based spending review is entrenched in the party’s narrative and seeking economic credibility in the election is paramount. However, there is so much at stake here.
Morally as a party we are staunch defenders of enabling those who did not quite succeed in education the first time round to have a second chance at success, let alone those who just want to retrain into a different sector. It is often the most vulnerable in society who rely on courses at their local further education college to equip them with the skills they need to find work.
Perhaps more important though is the economic perspective of this attack on education. An untrained workforce only presents the state with a bigger financial burden later on. It is no secret that you grow your way into a successful economy, and that starts with training your workforce properly – regardless of what age they are.
On top of that, the evidence suggests that an area hardest hit hardest by this reckless funding withdrawal is the health and social care industry. At a time when the National Health Service is under such pressure, it is clear that this shortsighted approach will only serve to worsen Britain’s skills shortages in the future.
The National Union of Students in partnership with the University and College Lecturers’ Union and others have launched a campaign to protect adult education funding. On the website you can read about how this is going to devastate college and the communities they serve.
One million futures are at stake, and now more than ever Labour must commit to an investment in lifelong learning.
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Joe Vinson is vice-president (further education) of the National Union of Students. He tweets @JoeVinson
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Excellent analysis