Something important has been lost in Britain: between 2009 and 2017, the number of part-time students in higher education fell by 53%. Of the £20bn that the government spends annually on post-19 education, 93% goes on those who already have qualifications up to level 3 (A-levels). One of the contributors to a new report by the Centenary Commission on Adult Education launched earlier this month describes a “complete change” that took place under New Labour. Investing in community-led adult learning in towns such as Rochdale has led to wider savings in health and policing. But the finished plans should go much further, involving councils and replacing cash taken away from the Union Learning Fund.

Source: The Guardian March 21, 2021 18:33 UTC