“This is important” said Southwark student Razna on the way to the protest. “Today, they cut 24% but in five years, there will be nothing. Adult education, nothing”.
Indeed, the Association of Colleges (AOC) has made the same warning, predicting that “adult education and training in England will not exist by 2020 if the government continues with its swathe of cuts.”
This is why on Saturday 25th EFA students from Lambeth, Southwark and Wandsworth joined EFA teachers to march on City Hall. The Government has announced plans to cut adult education by 24%, on top of the cuts that have reduced adult education budgets by a third since 2010. Some of our students remember adult education before these cuts. “In 2007 the good thing was the [Further Education] college was free and the creche was free” remembers Samilla. “Now you have to pay for both of them not free”.
Here are some photo highlights from the day:
