A WIRRAL MP has called on the government to invest in adult education.

Margaret Greenwood MP led a debate in parliament on the subject of the spending of the Department for Education on adult education, post-16 education, further education and colleges. 

In her speech, she highlighted funding cuts for the adult education sector since 2010 and cited a report by the Institute for Fiscal Studies which found that even though total spending on adult skills is set to increase by 22% between 2019–20 and 2024–25, that reverses only a fraction of past cuts.  

Total skills spending in 2024–25 will still be 22% below 2009–10 levels. Spending on classroom-based adult education has fallen especially sharply and will still be 40% below 2009–10 levels even with the additional funding. 

The Wirral West MP said: “Adult education makes a vitally important contribution to the social, economic and cultural wellbeing of the UK. 

“It offers people opportunities for personal development, enriches lives and boosts mental health and wellbeing. It can help people to gain the skills they need to get into work, and to progress their careers once they are in work.  

“It is important too for parents so that they can read to their children and encourage reading for pleasure. This is something that is denied to many parents because of their own difficulties with reading.”

Greenwood, who is the chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Adult Education, said that the impact of those cuts is devastating to the sector, adding that stakeholders had spoken about the “existential decline” of the adult education sector because of reductions in funding, status and public awareness of provision. 

She added that there is an “urgent need” for the government to bring forward a programme to help adults to boost their literacy skills. 

Speaking after the debate she said: “From my experience working as an adult education tutor, I know the power of adult education in community settings to improve people’s confidence, help them gain employment or move on to higher education. In short, it has the power to transform lives. 

“In ignoring the scale of the crisis in adult literacy, the government is potentially wasting the talents of more than 16% of the adult population. That makes absolutely no sense either for the individuals concerned or for the economy. 

“It is vital that government funding of adult education and skills matches the obvious need for it. 

“The government must also engage with colleges and other bodies working within further education, hear their concerns and make sure that they are given the support that they need.”