College budget cut "is devastating" to adult learners (From Haringey Independent)

Haringey and Enfield college budget cut "is devastating" to adult learners

12:21pm Wednesday 10th February 2010 in Top Stories By Elizabeth Pears and Rebecca Lowe

CUTS to adult learning services at a Haringey college will have a devastating impact on an area already riddled with rising numbers of those out of work, critics have said.

The College of Haringey, Enfield and North East London, based in High Road, Tottenham, is facing £2.55million funding cuts for 2010-2011, of which £2m will be to its adult learning programme.

It amounts to ten per cent of the college's total budget.

Jenny Sutton, University College Union branch secretary for Tottenham, said the loss of funding would be detrimental to adult learners who flock to the college to pick up skills to boost job opportunities.

The secretary said: "Unemployment, especially in Tottenham, is at an all-time high.

"The Government should be investing more money in education and training not less. If adult learning provision is reduced, what will those potential students do instead? Wander the streets aimlessly or sign on the dole?

"Too many pupils leave school with only basic literacy and numeracy skills and these cuts mean that later on in life when they want to improve their CVs they will find a door to further education has been firmly shut."

Provision for 16 to 18-years will also suffer a loss of £500,000 but colleges will still be asked to accept the same volume of learners, added Ms Sutton.

Paul Head, principal and chief executive of the college, said: "It is unclear how these changes will impact on the college since the announcement was made just last week.

"We are working as hard as we can to minimise the effects on our learners and our local communities."

The funding allocations, announced last week by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC), will mean cuts of between ten and 25 per cent for adult learning provision in colleges across the country, according to the UCU.

However, the Government stressed overall funding for adult learning had increased from £3.3 billion in 2009/10 to £3.5 billion in 2010/11 - a 2.9 per cent rise.

Funding for 16-18 year olds has increased from £7.8 billion in 2009/10 to £8.2 billion in 2010/11.

A spokesman for the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills said: "We are making sure that the money we invest in adult training is money well spent, and is invested in both general skills and skills that will increase productivity across the UK economy.

"This training needs to be relevant and equip adults with the skills they need to succeed and progress within their place of work and make a valuable contribution to the UK's future economic growth."