Cork adults face stark choice between heating homes or staying in education

As term begins for adult learners undertaking further education courses in Cork, a survey has suggested they are forced to choose between heating their homes or staying in education.

The nationwide survey by Aontas, the national adult learning organisation, showed almost a third of respondents said they needed greater financial support to remain in education to improve their quality of life, build knowledge, and boost their career opportunities.

Under current provisions, the meal allowances adult learners get can be as little as 80c per day.

It also found that 41% of adult learners who seek financial help are unhappy with the information they received regarding availability of national supports for childcare, transport, and meals.

Increase

The outcome of the survey forms part of the pre-budget submission from the organisation which is calling for an increase in social welfare payments and allowances for adult learners as well as a commitment to provide more information for the public on adult education courses and supports available.

CEO of Aontas, Dearbháil Lawless, said people could not engage in education if their basic needs were not being met.

“How is anyone supposed to feed themselves on 80c per day?” You can’t even buy a cup of tea for that.”

With figures from funding agency Solas showing that one in three adult learners are unemployed, Ms Lawless said social welfare should be benchmarked so that people’s basic needs are met to allow them to “enter and succeed in education, find a career, and improve their self-confidence, standard of living and general happiness levels”.

“Education is a risk for many people, but it should improve people’s circumstances, not create greater financial instability,” said Ms Lawless “Some apprentices are sleeping in their vans because they can’t find anywhere affordable to live due to the housing crisis.

“People with families are being forced to choose between paying energy bills or course fees. This means a lot of people end up leaving their course.”

Barriers

Playwright Emmet Kirwan said “it was a lot easier to do well in education if you live in a stable household or area, and not in poverty”.

“It’s easier to be able to study and do well in a course,” he said. “There are a lot of barriers — whether that’s class and being from a working-class background, or racial barriers and being from a refugee background.

“When people are living in precarious situations, whether that’s housing, medical, or financial difficulties, it’s very hard to do well.

“It’s not that easy if you’re living in emergency accommodation, for example, to study if you’re sharing a room with your whole family.”

Research carried out by independent economic research organisation Indecon found that adult education in Ireland costs students just over €10,000 per academic year, and this excludes “hidden” costs like rent, bills, travel, food, and learning supplies.