asked the Minister for Education the reasons she recommended the abolition of the VEC system in the recently published Green Paper "Partners in Education: Serving Community Needs"; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Education Green Paper.
19.
The introduction to the Green Paper outlines briefly the developments in Irish post-primary education over the last two decades or so. It puts forward the Government's view that, in the light of these developments, what is now required is "the establishment of a regional body for educational (and other) services fulfilling the same functions in relation to all second level schools". In these circumstances the Green Paper suggests the establishment of local education councils and individual boards of management for each school, in place of the present structures.
20.
asked the Minister for Education regarding her proposals contained in the Green Paper entitled "Partners in Education", if she will state her Department's position on the future development of adult education.
This Government have been the first to recognise the status of adult education within the educational system by providing for separate adult education budgets in the vocational education structure to be administered by the recently constituted adult education boards which are intended to be representative of all the various adult education interests both statutory and voluntary.
The Government have provided this year a sum of £150,000 for the promotion of activities in the priority areas of literacy and community education in disadvantaged areas. As stated in the Policy document Building on Reality, further money will be provided for these areas so that a sum of over one million pounds will be made available in the years 1985 to 1987.
Additional resources have also been allocated to the voluntary agencies to enable them expand their activities in the adult education field.
The following figures indicate the substantial nature of the increases in grant-aid:
|
1984 |
1985 |
|
|
£ |
£ |
|
|
Dublin Institute for Adult Education |
25,000 |
34,500 |
|
Peoples' College |
9,000 |
18,000 |
|
Aontas |
52,000 |
95,000 |
|
Irish Countrywomen's Association |
20,000 |
25,000 |
|
National Adult Literacy Association |
10,000 |
42,000 |