Adult Learning Australia, the national peak body for adult and community education (ACE), congratulates the new Leader of The Nationals, the Hon Michael McCormack.
Rural and regional Australians experience significant disadvantage when it comes to access to jobs and education.
“It’s not acceptable that our experience of education and training comes down to where we live. To build strong, prosperous and sustainable regional communities, we need to address the access and equity issues that exist beyond the metropolis, ” says Jenny Macaffer, CEO, Adult Learning Australia.
Not-for-profit ACE organisations are often the only ‘on the ground’ providers of post-school education in small rural locations. They exist in towns with small populations that can’t sustain a TAFE or university campus, or where the education market is too small to attract private for-profit operators. In larger communities, they supplement the work of a TAFE or university by offering non-accredited and accredited pathway programs.
“Recognising and investing in ACE as a vital part of the post-school education system for regional and rural Australians is a commonsense solution to a complex problem,” says Ms Macaffer.
Adult Learning Australia is bringing stakeholders together at a Summit in April to discuss the need for a national framework on lifelong learning.
https://ala.asn.au/ala-summit-towards-a-national-lifelong-learning-policy-for-australia/
https://ala.asn.au//wp-content/uploads/2011/02/regional-research-report_WEB.pdf
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Media contact: Jenny Macaffer, 0488 030 073, j.macaffer@ala.asn.au