6th August 2012 9:37
By Blue Tutors
Adult Learner Concessions
Ministers have announced that money will now be made available for adult learners studying in Further Education. Currently the government funds half the cost of Adult Learner courses with the students funding the rest. from 2013, however, the government wanted the students to bear the whole cost themselves, taking out loans if necessary.
Campaigners highlighted government analysis showing the move would lead to 100,000 fewer learners.
There will now be a £50m scheme to cover some students' costs.
Some £20m of the bursary scheme will fund particularly vulnerable learners - those with learning difficulties, disabilities and parents needing childcare.
The rest, £30m diverted from learner support budgets, will be given to colleges to distribute.
The concessions follow a concerted campaign by students, academics, lecturers and college principals highlighting what they said were "fundamental flaws" in a policy that risked putting adults off studying, training and re-skilling.
National Union of Students vice-president Toni Pearce said the government should be commended for "finally listening to the strength of feeling out there".
She added: "I'm afraid that the central issue still remains that we should be making further education as accessible as possible, rather than removing the public contribution towards teaching costs for so many adults who wish to re-skill."