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Community Education

Volume 174: debated on Tuesday 12 June 1990

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To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what was the volume of community-based adult education provided in each year since 1979; and whether he has made any assessment of changes in the quality of the education provided over the same period;(2) what steps he has taken to monitor the provision by education authorities in Scotland of community-based adult basic education and English as a second language services; and what criteria he has laid down for determining their adequacy in terms of

(a) scale and (b) quality;

(3) what are his priorities and objectives for the expansion of community-based (a) adult basic education and (b) English as a second language provision in Scotland; and what guidance he has issued to local education authorities on the development of this provision;

(4) what plans he has to ensure that all those leaving long-stay institutions without essential skills in literacy and numeracy receive adult basic education;

(5) what steps he has taken to ensure the development of an educational dimension to care in the community;

(6) if he has any plans to make additional earmarked funds available to local authorities to enable them to develop community-based educational provision for priority groups.

The provision of community education in Scotland, including adult education and English as a second language, is primarily the responsibility of education authorities. They determine the extent and means of provision in the light of local needs and with regard to their own priorities and the total resources available to them, including those resources provided by central Government.In 1990–91 revenue support grant of £2,479 million has been made available by central Government, representing an increase of 10·5 per cent. over the level of £2,244 million in 1989–90 and 23·5 per cent. over rate support grant of £2,007 million in 1988–89. There are no plans to make additional funds available in 1990–91 to local authorities specifically for community education purposes.No central record is held of the volume of community-based adult education in Scotland. Her Majesty's inspectors of schools make inspections of providers of adult education, report on the quality of provision and make recommendations.Detailed advice on service planning in the field of community care was issued in April 1985 to health boards and regional and district councils in respect of social work, education and health functions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has any plans to provide funding for the professional training and accreditation of adult basic education practitioners in Scotland along the lines of the local education authority training grants scheme in England and Wales.

Professional training and accreditation for adult basic education practitioners in Scotland is being developed by the Scottish adult basic education forum together with the community education validation and endorsement (Scotland) group, both of which were set up by the Scottish Community Education Council. I would expect such new developments to qualify for support under the current scheme for in-service training of teachers and community education workers.