Written answers

Tuesday, 24 April 2007

Department of Education and Science

Adult Education

11:00 pm

Photo of Seán CroweSeán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 863: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the most recent figure as a percentage of adult population in this State who are participating in lifelong learning; and the way she will increase this figure. [14668/07]

Photo of Seán HaugheySeán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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I am not in a position to indicate the exact percentage of the adult population who are participating in lifelong learning. My Department has put the resources and supports in place to ensure that there is a wide range of course options available in the Further and Higher Education sectors for people who wish to continue their studies after second-level and for people returning to education later in life.

The priority target group of Further Education programmes generally is those who are educationally disadvantaged and who lack basic skills. The level of participation in Further Education Programmes in 2005 was as follows:

Number
Full-time programmes
Post Leaving Certificate courses30,188
Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (VTOS)5,384
Youthreach and Senior Traveller Training3,837
Part time programmes
Back to Education Initiative7,000 places (20,000 + participants)
Community Education30,000
Adult Literacy:35,738
Self-funded part-time adult education in schools150,000

The aim of Adult and Further Education in the coming years will be in:

Prioritising adult literacy in the area of adult education, including workplace literacy. The proportion of the population aged 16-64 with restricted literacy will be reduced to between 10%-15% by 2016, from the level of 25% found in 1997. Vocational Education Committees will provide an additional 7,000 places in literacy by 2009, from the current level of 35,000 participants annually. There will be a particular focus on increasing the number of migrants receiving an English language service;

The provision of an additional 1,000 Youthreach places by 2009. €574 m. is being made available for Youthreach over the period 2007-2013;

The provision of guidance/counselling to literacy and language learners;

The Back To Education Initiative (BTEI), which will be expanded by 2,000 places to 10,000 by 2009;

Maximising the opportunities for older people to participate in education, employment and other aspects of economic and social life;

The Post-Leaving Certificate sector, where a total of €1 billion will be invested over the period 2007-2013 to provide participants with specific vocational skills to enhance their prospects of securing employment and support progression to other studies;

The social partnership agreement "Towards 2016" contains a commitment to increasing participation in Lifelong Learning in particular among the workforce categorised as low-skilled/low paid by enhancing opportunities to access education and training, the development of new skills, the acquisition of recognised qualifications and progression to higher level qualifications to equip all individuals with the skills, capacity and potential to participate fully in the knowledge-based society and progress to better quality jobs. Adult and Further Education policy will continue to work towards achieving these aims.

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