Learners with the highest level of educational needs are not being prioritised, says chief executive of AONTAS, Dearbháil Lawless. Photograph: Getty Images
Each year approximately 65,000 young people complete their final exams and leave secondary school. Some will go on to further education, others will take time out to travel or pursue other interests, and many more will begin their working life in earnest.
However, over the past five years, approximately 30,000 teenagers have left school without even sitting the Leaving Certificate examination. Although many of these will create successful careers and lives for themselves, some will regret that they didn’t finish their secondary education.
The National Adult Learning Organisation of Ireland (AONTAS), says there is huge demand for adult education and it is vital for more funding to become available in order to help the many people who want to transform their lives by going back to education.
“An imbalance in funding has resulted in community education learners receiving only 2 per cent of the Further Education and Training (FET) budget, despite them making up 20 per cent of all FET learners,” says chief executive of AO
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