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The number of adults currently learning at lowest point since 1996, Learning and Work Institute survey finds, says George Ryan, Further education reporter - Tes.
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| Photo: TES News |
In 1996, the then National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (Niace) started asking a representative sample of 5,000 people if they were currently learning. The adult participation in learning survey encompasses a broad definition of learning that includes “practising, studying or reading about something” or “being taught, instructed or coached”.
For the first time, the historic survey data has been made available by the Learning and Work Institute, Niace’s successor. It reveals a steady decline from the high point of 2001, when 46 per cent of respondents reported taking part in some form of learning, to a record low of just 36 per cent last year...
Sir Alan Tuckett, former chief executive of Niace from 1988 to 2011, who is now a professor of education at the University of Wolverhampton, said the drop in participation was significant, adding: “It is lower than it ever has been. I think we have an extraordinary situation where there has never been a better case for adult learning.”
A Department for Education spokesperson said: “Whether it’s young people who are starting their careers or adult learners wanting to improve their skills, we want everyone to have access to high-quality education to make sure no one is left behind.
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Source:TES News
