Adult Education Faces Severe Government Funding Squeeze

2.51.51pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 7th Jun 2005

After visiting the borough's Adult College on Friday, Vincent Cable MP is seeking a debate in Parliament to discuss what he calls "a looming crisis in adult education. The Government has made a decision to put adult, lifetime education at the bottom of its education priorities and within a couple of years, our popular local college will be faced with some very tough choices."

Under government funding proposals there will be no real increases in funding and colleges also have to find money for the government's priorities which are for 16 to 18 year olds, and the most basic skills. Adults, especially those studying non-vocational courses will face a tight squeeze. Either course fees will rise substantially or courses will discontinue.

Vincent Cable said: "Our adult college is used by thousands of local people. It provides course work essential for the local economy, in creative arts for example where local small firms are strong, and intellectual stimulus for those who are retired or otherwise out of the labour force. However efficiently run the college will not be able to continue to provide current levels of service unless government priorities can be changed."

The College will also shortly be embarking on public consultations for its Clifden Road site where the two main options are to sell of the existing buildings for commercial housing and use the funds for a new college with significant community benefit; or more modest refurbishment and new build to provide enhanced training facilities. Vincent Cable said: "A lot of capital has flowed into the College on the Richmond side; it is now Twickenham's turn for major new investment and there are some potentially exciting ideas emerging for the Clifden site."