Adams, P. & O’Neill, J. New Zealand Journal of Teachers’ Work, Volume 6, Issue 1, 1-2, 2009
... What can we make of this? The relatively minor cost savings of 13 million dollars that the Budget cuts take from school-based ACE will directly affect the education of over 160,000 adults, result in up to 212 Adult Education Coordinators and 15,000 tutors losing their positions, and reduce the funding of many participating community groups from 2010. In effect, these relatively small-scale cuts (in relation to the overall education budget) are a major attack on the spirit of every local community in the country. Read more
The light bulb of learning is flickering so slow Night classes as we know them are all set to go From woodwork to Yoga, dancing and song The isolated and lonely have come along
The tutors and students came from near and afar To learn more about languages, or play the guitar Many thousands of Kiwis have been through our doors A fact that our government conveniently ignores
Now the time has come Walrus Tolley has said To ditch ACE funding and go private instead So to all of our learners, and tutors out there This short sighted decision has made this quite clear
So let’s make the most of what we have left Enjoy the classes and don’t feel bereft Night classes will come back out of the dark We all need to learn and continue to spark
The failed policies of past ages are set to repeat Rogered by Ruthless politicians from easy street But we will endeavour to help you along the way For those who can afford it, it will be user pay.
I am writing to you to assure you that you have PPTA’s full support and commitment in the fight to restore ACE funding in schools. I remain optimistic that the government has underestimated the extent of community opposition to this decision and will have to review it.
The campaign for restoration of ACE funding, seems to have really touched a nerve in communities throughout New Zealand. The media coverage has been extensive and entirely supportive. Full credit to CLASS (The Community Learning Association) for organising such an effective campaign.
We are disappointed (but not surprised) that NZSTA appears to be undermining the campaign by putting pressure on schools to close down ACE provision as soon as possible. We appreciate that principals feel, quite properly, concerned about the financial liability schools face particularly since the Ministry of Education and the TEC have been quick to distance themselves from any responsibility. (See the response from the Secretary for Education to the request from PPTA that it pick up the ACE surplus staffing costs as happens for teachers.)
The government could be forcing secondary schools to break the law if schools are left with no option but to sack night class staff before existing adult and community education (ACE) funding contracts expire in December, said PPTA president Kate Gainsford.
Since the government cut $16 million for night class funding in this year’s Budget, schools have been asking who is liable for funding the staff redundancies.
“The Ministry of Education has washed its hands of any responsibility and the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) and the School Trustees Association have advised schools to stop delivering night classes in terms 3 and 4 so they can use that money to pay redundancies,” she said.
PPTA believes such action may not be legal because the funding is supplied by government through the Tertiary Education Commission solely for the purpose of delivering night classes.
If the government is going to slash funding for school-based adult community education (ACE) classes – it should foot the bill for the thousands of redundancies this move could create.
PPTA ACE advocate Jane Benefield said cutting 80% of the $16million allocated to ACE courses would be a cruel blow to the communities they operate in, and could hit schools in the pocket.
