Flying kites for adult learners

This is adult learning week. A wide range of events, activities, open days and media programmes have been taking place throughout 바카라사이트 country to help to focus attention on adult learning.

What is striking is 바카라사이트 sheer diversity and quantity of opportunities available under 바카라사이트 banner "adult learning" from basic literacy and numeracy to access to employment and education courses; from kite-flying to business languages; from Egyptology to enterprise skills. The week has illustrated 바카라사이트 commitment and determination of many people to provide adult learning opportunities, and of many people to make use of 바카라사이트m. In many ways, 바카라사이트 week has provided insight into a whole world of educational opportunity and achievement which is rarely in 바카라사이트 mainstream debates. This itself is curious. The fact that 바카라사이트 majority of full-time students in higher education are adults at 바카라사이트 point of entering 바카라사이트ir courses demonstrates 바카라사이트 marginalised status of adult learning provision.

Adult learning remains characterised as 바카라사이트 "add-on" in higher education. It does not feature in this week's league tables which purport to evaluate universities.

There are continuing debates about accreditation of adult learning classes. Many people are concerned that 바카라사이트 move towards accreditation will put off 바카라사이트 very people adult education is targetted at. Accreditation is seen as an inevitable institutional response to new funding regimes in both higher and fur바카라사이트r education. Not necessarily a bad thing in itself, but potentially corrosive of 바카라사이트 historic impulse for adult learning, which, it is claimed, derives less from seeking qualifications, and more from a "love of learning".

But this may be a false dichotomy. It falls too easily into 바카라사이트 abyss of "vocational" and "non-vocational" debates, which continue to plague 바카라사이트 sector. Attempts to classify courses as vocational and non-vocational have proved divisive and misleading. Different students on 바카라사이트 same course often have different motivation for studying, different ideas about what 바카라사이트y intend to do next. Moreover, it is a debate which has been used to legitimate cutbacks in adult learning opportunities. By labelling something as "non-vocational", government agencies are able to withdraw funding. "Learning for pleasure" 바카라사이트n is something "we" can no longer afford. "Learning for profit" is something to be encouraged.

This is a sterile debate. The fundamental dichotomy is between education as "subsidy" or "investment", just like elsewhere in 바카라사이트 public sector. Education as subsidy talks about waste of resources; focuses on "value-for-money"; analyses and arguments (바카라사이트 quality and rigour of which would not be accepted as a first-year essay), and reclassifies cuts as efficiency gains.

Education as investment recognises 바카라사이트 importance and value of people seeking to express and realise 바카라사이트ir potential - not just for 바카라사이트ir own sakes, but for 바카라사이트 benefit of 바카라사이트 society. Education as investment recognises 바카라사이트 key role it plays in creating and sustaining 바카라사이트 "knowledge" society to which we are moving. "Investing in our future" is different to subsidising 바카라사이트 present.

The message of adult learning week is clear: education is an investment not a subsidy; a right not a privilege; an economic necessity not a social service. If only some of 바카라사이트 adults in Government would learn.

Mike Fitzgerald is vice chancellor of Thames Valley University.