70 protest night class cuts

About 70 people, including 20 Opposition MPs, protested outside Parliament yesterday over the cuts to adult and community education funding.

In May's Budget, funding for adult community education was cut from $16 million to $3 million, with the Government saying it paid for hobby courses. There has been intense criticism of the cut, with opponents saying courses will be slashed.

Education Minister Anne Tolley said that with the recession the Government was focusing on foundation skills such as literacy, numeracy and language courses.

The Tertiary Education Commission this month released figures which showed 50 schools will provide courses next year, down from 212.

A petition with 53,344 signatures was presented yesterday.

Community Learning Association Through Schools president Maryke Fordyce said there was huge unrest in the community and the protest was bringing a clear signal that people were unhappy. More people would be unhappy when they found out next year that their classes had been cancelled.

"We're deeply worried about how three years from now adult and community is going to look in this country," Mrs Fordyce said.

The Government should let the sector decide where savings could be made, she said.

"I don't believe that the $16 million from [night] schools is going to completely drive the country into the ground."

Ms Tolley remained adamant.

"We've said all along we're still putting $124 million into adult and community education, there just isn't the money to fund hobby courses," she said. "I understand people are upset but that's the reality."

She claimed the Opposition was behind the protest.

Labour leader Phil Goff said the protest was to show the Government "what it should know for itself".

Community night classes were a tradition in New Zealand, he said.

"War didn't destroy that, depression didn't destroy that, but Anne Tolley and the National Government are doing that."

PPTA president Kate Gainsford said the cuts took away the option for "second chance education" and at the same time the Government was "squandering money" on youth bootcamps and sending the SAS back to Afghanistan.

- NZPA