The publication of the White Paper on Adult Education is a watershed in the development of education in this State. For decades, adult education has been the Cinderella of the education sector. To their credit, teachers and students in virtually every community in the State still forged a dynamic adult education sector and muddled through - despite the lack of support from the State.
The White Paper - with its multi-million pound promise of resources and support for most sectors in the adult education community - should change all of that. There is much to be done; the educational attainment levels of huge swathes of our adult population remains very poor; access to third level is still proving very difficult for many mature students and the disadvantaged and our participation in adult education is among the lowest of any developed nation.
The 220-page White Paper is a comprehensive attempt to build a vibrant and fully resourced adult education sector. The Minister of State with responsibility, Mr Willie O'Dea, is to be commended for his work in its preparation. It is an impressive document with an admirable commitment to the partnership model, to community education and to equality of access. But it also looks beyond this to the practical economic benefits of adult education, not least the manner in which it can help to bridge the skills gap in the economy.
For all that, the Government's decision not to abolish fees for all part-time students has raised some criticism from IBEC and from Aontas, the National Association for Adult Education. The Government is providing free fees for those on social welfare. It says it wants to concentrate resources where they are needed. It maintains there is little point in the State stepping in to support employees taking further education when their employers are often happy to underwrite the costs.
But there are thousands of low paid, low-skill workers for whom the cost of third-level fees are a real disincentive. Many work for small companies lacking the resources to pay for further education. The Government must seriously consider whether this category of worker might still lose out in its Brave New World of adult education.
Despite some very admirable initiatives, there are dangers that other sectors might also lose out. The Government plans to invest up to £1 billion in its Back to Education initiative but without support with childcare and transport costs, there is a risk that the targeted groups will be unable to participate fully.
The new Higher Education Mature Student Fund, which will increase to £10 million per annum on a phased basis, should help to raise the worryingly low level of participation by mature students. The competitive tendering for science research funding has helped to change old mindsets in some third-level colleges; it is to be hoped that a competitive mature student fund will have the same impact.