It is bad enough with all the worldwide issues we have – the war in Ukraine, recovery from the pandemic and global warming – that we are having to manage hardship caused by the increasing cost of living.
In the past, adult education has been there to support people in a crisis, helping them learn the skills they need to manage the issues that most impact on them.
Adult education has helped people to learn more about household budgeting, feeding the family on a tight budget, learning basic IT so that they can use online helplines, and retrain to find a new job.
And today, adult education is needed more than ever to help people across the land access tools to get through the economic and social crisis we face. We need action this day to galvanise support for all of our people and not just those who did well at school.
A Lifelong Learning Strategy to tackle the crisis
There has never been a time when lifelong learning was so important. We need a Lifelong Learning Strategy that offers everyone some hope for the future and tackles the economic and social crisis we are confronted with. And No.10 and the Cabinet Office should take action this day to ensure the best use of government funds and all government departments work together.
Time to think again
But, at a time when people are looking for support to manage their household budgets and the mental health of the nation is deteriorating, we find DfE are consulting on limiting the adult education offer so that people who need such support will have no education and skills classes to turn to.
Hidden in paragraph 60 of DfE’s recently published FE Funding and Accountability Consultation are proposals that would impact on 300,000+ adult learners.
These proposals, if implemented, would lead to a loss of a vast number of critical adult education courses for those who need adult education to help them with an array of life issues.
These include managing household finances, social prescribing of adult education for those with mental health issues, ESOL, family learning, tackling loneliness through integration in classes, improving family health through learning about healthy eating, using education as part of rehabilitation following drug and alcohol dependence, and supporting women who are in domestic abuse situations to rebuild their lives.
Most of these programmes are delivered in partnership with other government services and charities. Closing them down would increase the burden on services such as health, housing, and probation and limit the scope of the voluntary sector to support people in crisis.
Surely in today’s near-tragic circumstances this is bad value for money. The DfE proposals were published with no consultation and do not explain what the impact would be.
A five point plan
Firstly, the new government should develop in consultation with the sector, a government-wide all age, all stages and all levels Levelling Up Lifelong Learning Plan that highlights how learning new skills supports the economy, improves productivity, facilitates integration, and improves personal and financial wellbeing.
This strategy should recognise the role that adult community education plays in helping individuals and their families manage the increasing cost of living and improve their wellbeing.
Second, the DfE should build on the work done on Level 3 and the Level 4-6 loan entitlement for HE by spelling out a new government-wide strategy for Level 2; including the vocational shortage areas for skills training in health care, service industries, transport, basic skills including ESOL, health and wellbeing and digital.
The plan should also include a mechanism for preparatory work on new subjects that are not yet featuring in job vacancies, such as developing the green agencies.
Third, the DfE should support the levelling up agenda by withdrawing the consultation document that proposes limiting the beneficiaries of adult education and rebalance spending by prioritising basic skills and Level 2 adult and below education.
The department should inject £5.2 billion into the adult skills system and provide a 10-year budget that breaks the cycle of low skills, which in turn will pay for itself through a boost in productivity. The Multiply intervention is a good start, but it should be mirrored with a similar focus on literacy and language.
Fourth, we need national promotion of the adult education offer.
The government should run a national campaign which explains what is free and what is a loan, how to access a course, and how new learners are able to claim Universal Credit whilst studying full-time and part-time.
And fifth, DfE and DWP must work more closely together to ensure there is an adult education and skills component included as an integral part of all new employment initiatives.
If the new government does this, at pace, lifelong learning can help adults whatever their circumstances through the crisis.
Opportunities for Government
Later this week we will have a mini-budget to tackle the energy crisis and avoid recession. Later in the year, we expect there to be a full Autumn Budget and the announcement of a comprehensive spending review to be completed by March 2023.
Opportunities exist for the government to acknowledge the role of adult education in supporting adults through the present crisis. What we need is action this week so adult education can play its full role in the months and years ahead.
Susan Pember is Policy Director at HOLEX