Government takes axe to night classes

NIGHT classes, evening classes, Adult and Community Education, call it what you will, funding for the long standing practice of being able to learn new skills at any age is being axed by the government.

For over 100 years, all over New Zealand, Kiwis have been able to increase their learning in a wide range of subjects through evening classes, but now the curtain may be coming down.
Government funding for Adult and Community Education (ACE), based in Stratford for much of Taranaki, will cease from next year.
Subjects such as cooking, painting, woodwork, budgeting, photography, yoga, tai chi, computing, cheese making, jewellery and even 'Blokes in the Kitchen' are among the 68 courses that ACE Taranaki offers to the public.
In 2006 responsibility and funding for ACE classes was transferred from the Ministry of Education to the Tertiary Education Commission. This resulted in a flood of bureaucratic stipulations and requirements, such as Quality Assurance, Policy and Procedure manuals, Investment Plans and the like, and of the 11 secondary schools providing the ACE programmes, the requirements were too much, and eight of them dropped out of being providers.
ACE Taranaki, based in Stratford, picked up providing the courses to the areas previously provided by these schools, and as well as Stratford, they also have covered the New Plymouth, Okato, Opunake, Patea and Waverly areas for the past two and a half years.
Now the lot may go, and ACE Taranaki participants, which number between 500 and 600 per term, may opt out by not being able to afford fees going up threefold.
Malcolm Harding, Ace Taranaki Co-ordinator, said one of the more alarming aspects of the funding cuts is that ACE evening classes actually benefit the economy.
"An independent report by analysts PricewaterhouseCoopers show that there is a nationwide economic benefit from adult and community education of between $4.8 and $6.3 billion each year," he said.
"About 12% of the working age population attended ACE programmes last year and the report took into account such benefits as lower unemployment, less WINZ benefits, reduced crime and domestic violence, and lower health costs."
He said students enrolling in the courses are aged between 18 and 88.
ACE Taranaki Administrator Christina Ranford said the government funding cut, announced in the May Budget, came without any consultation or communication with ACE providers.
"The National Government has abandoned its commitment to lifelong learning, and more than 220,000 learners nationwide will now be missing out on their future life-long learning opportunities."
"The Government itself acknowledges the value of ACE but claims that, in tough times, "lower-value" courses need to be cut. We believe the opposite."
"In times of recession, more investment should be made in education. People are looking for affordable ways to up-skill, and schools are in fact noticing an increase in ACE enrolments as learners spend their discretionary income on things that are useful in the long-term, like education and personal development," she said.
"All schools receiving ACE funding are required to give around 10% of their funding to local community groups to run courses, so these groups nationally will now have to find some $1.6million to support their educational activities."
"Groups like Budgeting Services, Adult Literacy Services, Cancer Society, English Language Partners, Parent Help Groups and hundreds more will now have to seek funding from alternative providers whose resources are also being stretched."
She said "Without funding course fees will have to triple, for example a course that costs $50 for eight weeks of two hours would rise to $150, or the length of the courses will be reduced."
"A student survey so far shows that people will not be able to afford this, so for us to keep going may not be an option."
"Cutting the courses would be damaging to our community. People benefit with better health, fitness, knowledge and social skills. Some people have even started up their own business after attending classes," she added.
"We strongly urge Government to reconsider its short-sighted decision to cut funding to the ACE sector. The recession will end and the economy will improve but night classes, a Kiwi tradition for over 100 years will never come back if they are lost to us now," said Christina.
A petition has been set up by ACE Taranaki to try and get Government to re-consider their decision and postcards are being circulated for people to send to their MP protesting about the changes.