Report ignores community education centres
While the report is long overdue and does highlight areas in which this vital sector can be improved, it chooses to ignore the work that happens in community education centres throughout the country.
A passing mention of ‘second chance’ education and lifelong learning is tokenism on the part of the authors. For years the work at ground-level adult education by these centres, and organisations such as Aontas (National Association of Adult Education) and NALA (National Adult Literacy Agency) has gone unnoticed.
These centres and organisations provide vital support and education services to those who have missed the chance of an education in the ‘normal’ sense of the word.
For many adults who have fallen through the education net due to economic or other reasons, even entering a PLC college fills them with fear. The self-esteem it takes to even apply for a course in such circumstances can only be gained though a process of nurturing, support and respect — and this is what community education centres provide for those most in need.
It takes effort and commitment to get a person to the level whereby they can sign up for a PLC course — and the ESRI does not want to give any credit or acknowledgement to those working in the area of adult literacy and education.
The first step in the process of returning to education is the recognition by the individual that their lack of education is causing problems. For many this is the most difficult stage, but for others even more difficult is the next step — talking to someone about it. This is where the community education sector is essential.
While PLCs play an important part in the later stages of education, without the facilities provided by the adult literacy and community education sector, many would never get to the stage of entering a PLC programme.
Stephen Flitton
Warrenmount Community
Education Centre
Blackpitts
Dublin 8
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