ASTI - Ireland's main second level teachers union

The publication of the White Paper on Adult Education, “Learning for Life” in 2000 has led to the introduction of a range of programmes and policies to promote participation in adult education and training, in particular for early school leavers. Programmes and policies of relevance to second level schools are listed below.

Policy for Adult Education

The Department of Education and Science policy for adult education is largely delivered through the Back to Education Initiative. The Back to Education Initiative (BTEI) aims to provide opportunities to return to learning for young people (over 15 years of age) and adults, a re-entry route for those in the workplace who wish to upgrade their skills in line with emerging needs, and with its emphasis on part time provision, the chance to combine a return to education and training with family, work and other responsibilities.  The BTEI includes a range of provision:

• Adult Literacy
• Basic and Community Education provision
• YOUTHREACH
• Senior Traveller Training Centres
• Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (VTOS)
• Post Leaving Certificate (PLC) programmes
• Self-funded night-class provision in second-level schools and other centres.
• The rationale for the introduction of the BTEI included:
• The low literacy levels of the Irish adult population;
• The large numbers of Irish adults (1.1.m aged 15-64) who have not completed upper second-level education, of whom 529,600 have not completed lower second-level;
• The inflexibility of the Irish education system, with its predominant emphasis on full-time provision and time specific entry and exit opportunities;
• The difficulties in combining family, personal and work responsibilities with learning opportunities;
• The problems in engaging with hard-to reach groups.

Second level schools providing courses under the BTEI are funded by the Department of Education and Science.  Funds will be issued on the basis of a unit cost per student enrolment hour delivered designed to cover:

• Tuition
• Publicity and outreach
• Recruitment
• Administration
• Management and organisation
• Overheads using existing premises
• Technical support
• Assessment and certification administration

A 10:1 pupil-teacher ratio will apply for students who have less than upper second level education. A 16:1 ratio will apply for other participants.

The BTEI is administered by Further Education Development Unit, No 1 Parnell Square, Dublin 1 on behalf of the Department of Education and Science.

Contact: Mary Kett at 01-8787144, email: mkettfurthered@eircom.net or Bernie Judge at 01-8787145, email:  bjudgefurthered@eircom.net
Adult Education in Second Level Schools
Second level schools play an important role in the provision of adult education services throughout the country.  Such services include evening classes, courses under the BTEI programme and courses for parents.  Circular 46/00 below provides a system for the administration of adult education in schools. 

Link to Department Circular 46/00

Director of Adult Education Allowance

The ASTI sought and achieved new remuneration arrangements for Directors of Adult Education in second-level schools in 2004. The following numeration arrangements apply (from September 2008).  

Adult Education Organisers

Adult Education Organisers are employed by the VECs to support the development of all adult education activities in their area, including those provided by secondary schools. The AEOs provide advice on organising courses, accessing funding, local agencies and partnership processes. A full list of AOEs and information on their role and work is available from the website www.adulteducationorganisers.org.

Adult Guidance Service

A Pilot Scheme for Adult Guidance is currently in operation. The aim of the scheme is to develop models for the effective provision of guidance counselling to adults to promote their involvement in further education and training. It is planned to have a national scheme in place by 2006.

AONTAS

AONTAS is the Irish National Association of Adult Education, a voluntary membership organisation. It exists to promote the development of a learning society through the provision of a quality and comprehensive system of adult learning and education which is accessible to and inclusive of all. AONTAS provides an information and advisory role. Its website provides a comprehensive introduction to all aspects of adult education and the learning society. Contact:  www.aontas.com

National Qualifications Authority of Ireland

The National Qualifications Authority of Ireland was established under the Qualifications (Education and Training) Act, 1999. The Authority’s role is to develop a national framework of qualifications which will ensure that the standards of education and training outside the formal school system are maintained and which will provide a framework for the development of access, accreditation and progression systems for adult learning. Contact: NQAI, 4th Floor, 6-9 Trinity Street, Dublin 2, Tel: 01 6127 080.

Higher Education and Training Awards Council

The Higher Education and Training Awards Council – HETAC – is the qualifications awarding body for higher education established under the Qualifications (Education and Training) Act, 1999. It provides awards for higher education and training, including those formerly made by the NCEA, other than those provided by the Dublin Institute of Technology and the universities. Contact: HETAC, 26 Mountjoy Square, Dublin 1, Tel: 01 8556 526.

Further Education and Training Awards Council

The Further Education and Training Awards Council – FETAC – is the qualifications awarding body for further education established under the Qualifications (Education and Training) Act, 1999. It provides awards formerly provided by NCVA, FAS, CERT and Teagasc. FETAC will validate programmes for providers of further (including adult) education and training.

Schools which provide PLC courses and other courses should contact FETAC for information on awards, examinations and staff inservice training. Contact  FETAC Floor 2, East Point Business Park, Dublin 3, Tel: 01 – 8531910.

National Adult Learning Council

Following the publication of the Adult Education White Paper, the National Adult Learning Council was established in 2002 as an executive agency of the Department of Education and Science to fund, co-ordinate and monitor the delivery of adult education services. It has an advisory role in relation to policy for adult education and will  undertake research and other support activities. The Council will represent key stakeholders in adult education and training. The ASTI has a representative on the Council.

Local Adult Learning Boards

Following the publication of the Adult Education White Paper,  Adult Learning Boards will be established on a regional basis to plan and co-ordinate the delivery of adult education services at local level. The 33 Boards will replace the existing VEC Adult Education Boards but will be administratively based within the VECs which will serve as the employer for staff employed by the Boards. A wide range of representatives will sit on the Boards including a representative of each second level school sector in the area.

Community Education Facilitators

Community Education Facilitators are financed under the Back to Education Initiative and will work to promote community models of education, access funding and co-ordinate community education activities. The Facilitators will be employed by the VECs and will work under the Local Adult Learning Boards.

EU Memorandum on Lifelong Learning

In  November 2001, the European Commission adopted a Communication on Making a European Area of Lifelong Learning a Reality. This Communication aimed "to identify coherent strategies and practical measures with a view to fostering lifelong learning for all". In doing so, it makes an important contribution to achieving the strategic goal set at Lisbon for Europe to become the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based society in the world.  Lifelong learning is defined in the Memorandum as being about:

• acquiring and updating all kinds of abilities, interests, knowledge and qualifications from the pre-school years to post-retirement. It promotes the development of knowledge and competences that will enable each citizen to adapt to the knowledge-based society and actively participate in all spheres of social and economic life, taking more control of his or her future.
• valuing all forms of learning, including: formal learning, such as a degree course followed at university; non-formal learning, such as vocational skills acquired at the workplace; and informal learning, such as inter-generational learning, for example where parents learn to use ICT through their children, or learning how to play an instrument together with friends.

Learning opportunities should be available to all citizens on an ongoing basis. In practice this should mean that citizens each have individual learning pathways, suitable to their needs and interests at all stages of their lives. The content of learning, the way learning is accessed, and where it takes place may vary depending on the learner and their learning requirements.  Lifelong learning is also about providing "second chances" to update basic skills and also offering learning opportunities at more advanced levels. All this means that formal systems of provision need to become much more open and flexible, so that such opportunities can truly be tailored to the needs of the learner, or indeed the potential learner.

The full text of the Memorandum and supporting documentation on the learning society is available on the Department of Education and Science website, www.education.ie in the further education section.