Mayday for adult education this International Worker’s Day

We need to not just honour the past but demand a future for adult learning this May Day

We need to not just honour the past but demand a future for adult learning this May Day

30 Apr 2025, 16:32

International Workers’ Day—also known as Labour Day or May Day—is a global celebration of labourers and the working classes, promoted by the international labour movement and marked each year on 1 May, or the first Monday in May in the UK.

While traditionally associated with trade unions and campaigns for better pay and safer working conditions, May Day also invites us to consider another essential worker’s right—access to lifelong learning. And in 2025, that right is increasingly under threat.

The Working Men’s College (WMC/ WM College), founded in 1854, was created in response to the same inequalities that gave rise to the first May Day marches. At a time when education was the preserve of the privileged WMC opened its doors to working people, offering access to liberal and technical education—equipping them not just to work, but to think, create and lead.

This vision is shared by many adult community education organisations and Holex members, including the WEA which has championed education for social justice and community empowerment since the early 20th century.

Together, these institutions demonstrate that adult education is not just about qualifications. It’s about opportunity, confidence, participation, and creating space for working people to reimagine their futures.

The modern struggles facing adult learners

But today, that vision is being tested.

In recent months, many sector voices have raised concerns about the erosion of adult learning opportunities in the UK. The government’s emphasis on skills for productivity—while important—often overlooks the broader value of adult education in supporting mental health, personal growth, community cohesion, and active citizenship.

Funding cuts, a squeezed adult education budget, and ongoing uncertainty around devolution have created a tough environment for adult education providers—including colleges, local authorities, and third-sector organisations. At the same time, the rising cost of living—especially in cities like London—means working people face more barriers than ever when trying to access education. Time, travel, childcare, and course costs all act as obstacles.

Without meaningful investment, thousands of adults’ risk being locked out of the opportunities that could transform their lives. This is happening at a time when over one million more older workers have moved into economic inactivity since the pandemic. In many cases, these are people who want to reskill, re-engage, or contribute differently—but lack the support and access to do so.

Adult education is a workers’ rights issue

This May Day, we should remember that the right to learn is also a workers’ right. From retraining after redundancy to accessing creative outlets that support wellbeing, adult education is a lifeline for millions.

Adult education as a driving force of social mobility and equality is key —something that The Working Men’s College has championed since its founding by social reformers like Frederick Denison Maurice and John Ruskin.  Adult education helps workers stay current with new tools, systems and best practice, it gives choices over career paths and often improves self-esteem, confidence and economic independence.

We believe that adult learning should not be a luxury or afterthought—it must be a priority. One that is embedded in any genuine effort to support working people through economic change.

Standing together for the future

This May 1st, as we commemorate the struggles and triumphs of the working class, we are reminded that the right to learn—like the right to fair wages and safe working conditions—has always been central to the fight for dignity and justice. Just as May Day was born from the desire for better working conditions, today we must continue that fight by demanding greater access to adult learning opportunities for all.

At WM College, we honour the legacy of those early social reformers who understood that true empowerment comes from knowledge. Our mission remains rooted in their vision: providing accessible, inclusive, and empowering learning opportunities that enable people to adapt, thrive, and lead.

Let us remember that the fight for workers’ rights, including the right to education, is as vital today as it was on that first May Day.

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