Report calls for cuts in safeguarded adult learning Wednesday, November 11, 2009 - 13:23

Reforming skills funding - delivering productive results - published by the CBI today - recommends:

"Cutting funding for non-essential programmes including ‘adult safeguarded learning' - which supports learning for its own intrinsic value and does not necessarily deliver an economically valuable result."

Alastair Thomson, NIACE Principal Policy Officer, said:

"The CBI fails to recognise that the UK needs social capital as well as human capital. Safeguarded adult learning provides quantifiable returns in terms of better health, lower crime and higher civic participation. The annual £210 million for safeguarded learning is less than 2% of the total adult training spend and the only part accessible to older people outside the labour market."

Alan Tuckett, NIACE Chief Executive, said:

"NIACE does, however, agree with the CBI that the Government could spend its adult training monies better. Ending the deadweight of Train to Gain would be a start. But the primary responsibility for skills acquisition to benefit British business must lie with British business."

"Despite the achievements of the Skills for Life strategy, there are millions of people - including those most in need - who haven't yet been touched by it. Those adults need more, not less, spending on basic skills."

"It is the duty of Government to secure an informed and participatory democracy as well as a healthy and stable economy. There is a risk that, having bailed out the bankers, we'll fail to maintain a broad enough range of opportunities for tomorrow's businesses and society, as well as serving those of today."

 Tom Schuller, Director of the Inquiry into the Future of Lifelong Learning, said:

"We are about to hear the Government's longer-term plans for investment in skills. But if this report is true it is a bad omen. The evidence is strong on how even quite low levels of participation in education can sustain individuals through tough periods in their lives. This is a hard time for many people, and it is no time to be removing safeguards."