Many colleges have lost students since the government severely sharpened the focus of its funding on three priorities; 16-18 year olds and two groups of adults - those lacking a Level 2 qualification (5 GCSEs, grade A-C) and those with poor literacy. The pattern of the loss seems to be standard across further education.
The causes of the decline in student numbers are pretty much agreed; there is a severe reduction of the amount of public money allowed for courses outside the three priority areas, coupled with the government's expectation that colleges charge higher fees for courses.
"The country needs adult learners more than it has ever done," says NIACE's ( National Institute of Adult Continuing Education) Director, Alan Tuckett. "Two out of three new jobs in the next ten years have to be filled by people who are adults now. We know the impact adult learning has on people's health. We know it makes a difference to social cohesion and of course it makes a difference to the economy, but we've got ourselves into a knot."
An eleven member commission will consider the 'intrinsic' and 'utilitarian' benefits of adult education and how these should be balanced with its 'catalytic' benefits - the ways learning helps government achieve other policy goals. It will take evidence from the UK and from overseas. The aim is to recommend what will be needed to put together a national strategy on adult education. | 
