6. Hon MARYAN STREET (Labour) Link to this
to the Minister of Education
What reports has she received of schools closing down their adult and community education programmes?
Hon ANNE TOLLEY (Minister of Education) Link to this
The decision whether to provide adult and community education is one for individual schools to make. The Tertiary Education Commission is currently running an application process for Government funding for schools for 2010. I have encouraged schools that wish to offer adult and community education to engage with this process.
Hon Maryan Street Link to this
Is she aware that Newlands College has been running a community education programme since 1976—that is, for 33 years—and that it now has to close that programme because of her funding cuts?
I repeat that that decision is entirely one for the school to make. It could continue to run courses, both Government-funded and on a user-pays basis, but that decision is entirely the school’s decision to make.
Colin KingThe Government is committed to adult and community education, and that is why we are investing $124 million in it over the next 4 years. But I have received reports of Labour Party members spreading misinformation about the Government’s plan. Lynne Pillay, for instance, said that we would not be funding sign language classes. Well, she is wrong. Maryan Street said that we are cutting $152 million. Well, she is wrong. With that level of distance from the facts, both those members seem to be a perfect fit for the Labour Party leadership.
Hon Maryan Street Link to this
Is it of any concern to the Minister that the introduction of a user-pays system, as she suggested in her answer to the primary question, to allow the continuation of the Newlands College community education programme would see fees double or probably treble, according to the principal of the college, and that such cost increases would put skills acquisition out of the reach of many of the people in the community that Newlands College serves?
I repeat to that member that the decision is entirely the school’s to make. I encourage, and will continue to encourage, schools to engage with the Tertiary Education Commission. It has sought expressions of interest by the end of this month, and I encourage schools to be talking with the Tertiary Education Commission.
Hon Maryan Street Link to this
What has she to say to the 3,200 people who enrolled in the Newlands College community education programme in the last financial year and who will now not be able to advance their skills through that vehicle next year, or to the 81 tutors who ran the 321 classes and who will now be without a job?