Labour is promising to restore funding to the adult and community education sector in the Bay of Plenty, Labour's Associate Tertiary Education spokesperson Megan Woods says.
The sector has lost all but one of 15 night class providers after the Government cut funding of $1.5 million.
"The Government slashed funding
for night classes in 2009 resulting in 90 per cent fewer classes being offered. Despite National's assertions that night classes would survive, the number of schools offering these courses nationwide has plummeted from 212 to just 21," she said.
"In the Bay of Plenty, this has led to funding cut of $1.49 million, a 31 per cent drop since 2009. Five years ago there were 15 schools funded to provide night classes in the region, now there is just one.
"Labour will provide funding of $13 million in the first two years of Government and a further $9 million in the following years for this important area of education. We will also provide $1 million a year for English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) courses.
