Today is an exciting day: I chair the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Further Education and Lifelong Learning, and this afternoon (Monday 11th March) we will have the first session of our inquiry into adult education.
Announced during Colleges Week, our inquiry will put adult education in the spotlight and explore five key areas: economic growth, skills and workforce needs, social mobility and inclusion, health, wellbeing and community resilience, policy, funding and the future of lifelong learning and learning from across the UK and beyond.
I will be chairing the first session, and then I’m delighted to say that Lord Johnson of Marylebone, Sam Rushworth MP, Baroness Carmen Smith of Llanfaes, and Rachel Gilmour MP will chair the others.
As a group of MPs and peers from across Parliament, we are united in our desire to see real change in the adult education space, and it’s clear that the FE sector joins us on that. Indeed, there are three separate adult education campaigns currently active, led by Association of Colleges (Adult Learning Pays), Learning and Work Institute (Get the Nation Learning), and by UCU (Save Adult Education).
You don’t have to look far to see why: adult education in this country is in a dire state. Public funding for classroom-based adult education and training has fallen by two-thirds since the early 2000s. This has a very real impact on the opportunities available to adults, and indeed, the number of adults studying or training in English colleges have fallen by more than third since 2017-18.
It is a part of education that is underfunded and underappreciated, and yet one that is fundamental to how we equip our workforce and communities to deal with the major shifts our world.
We know that adults will need to upskill and retrain to meet the needs of the green agenda and technological revolution. We know that as unrest grows in our communities, access to community education builds cohesion, belonging and respect. Adult education transforms lives every single day, usually without fanfare, and our inquiry aims to shine a proper light on that.
One thing the FE sector always asks for is for policymakers to listen before acting. So instead of announcing a list of grand proposals, we are beginning by gathering evidence from all corners of the FE sector.
Through the Association of Colleges (who provide the secretariat to the group), we have launched an online call for evidence and survey so that colleges, training providers, employers and learners can submit their experiences and ideas easily. We want to understand what’s working, where the gaps are, and what changes would make the biggest difference. If you’re in the sector, please don’t be shy. We genuinely want to hear from you; this inquiry and subsequent report will only be as strong as the evidence we receive.
FE works best when people come together as employers, educators and policymakers. This APPG inquiry is determined to reflect that same spirit. I am looking forward to hearing the evidence we receive and to share our findings later this year. Together, we can strengthen lifelong learning for everyone and highlight the vital role of adult education.
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