Key education centre to close

Published 4 Jan 2012 08:00 Comments 1 Comment

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Mr Rowley pledged to fight to keep the centre in Kelty.

AN announcement that the Adam Smith College is to pull out of its learning centre in Kelty has brought anger in the village where learners and the local councillor are pledging to fight to retain the facility.

Alex Rowley has now written to Adam Smith Principal, Craig Thomson, seeking a meeting to discuss the issue early in the new year, and is calling on the closure plans to be put on hold till further discussion and options are examined by the college and Fife Council.

The learning centre has proved highly successful with a lot of people succeeding in gaining qualifications which have given them the opportunity to improve their job prospects.

Mr Rowley said this week, "I am well aware of the scale of cuts being placed on the college by the Scottish Government, which has all but abandoned any funding for adults over the age of 25 to get into education, but locally we must find alternative ways of protecting access to skills, training and education for adults.

"At a time when we are seeing more people being put out of work and struggling to find new jobs, the ability to gain and upgrade your skills locally should not be removed".

The Fife Labour leader has also written to Executive Director for Community Services within Fife Council, Mr Steve Grimond, and wants an urgent meeting with him to look at the options for the council providing assistance to keep the facility within the village.

One of the major costs to the college is the permanent hire from the Council of the room which hosts the learning centre, in Kelty's Moray Institute.

"Therefore the Council, rather than supporting adult education within the village, is making money from it which is now a direct threat to its future," added the Lochs councillor.

"The local authority also has a responsibility for adult education but does not seem to do joined up working with its partners such as the colleges, otherwise I would have thought they would have got their heads together to make this skills facility sustainable".

There are social and economic factors in making the argument that Kelty should not have such services withdrawn. For instance the 2001 census showed that over 40% of the population had no or very low formal qualifications while figures released in May 2011 show that 25% of the resident population aged between 16 and 24 were claiming out of work benefits which is more than double the Fife average.

This particularly concerned the councillor who went on, "This demonstrates we have a real need in Kelty for this skills centre and I will be putting forward proposals to the college and council for its retention".

This article appeared in Central Fife Times 04 Jan 12

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Gordon Barlow
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Jan 4, 15:37
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In Fife, and across Scotland, many are witnessing the steady decline of Scotland's driving force, a driving force that empowers all people from every background. These centres deliver skills, raises hopes and inject a shot of confidence for the jobless.

The scale, pace and enthusiastic approach of SNP cuts on Scottish colleges is deeply worrying. All the worse when adults over 25, in and around some of the most poverty stricken areas are now being denied direct learning in their community.

Investing in life-changing opportunities for go-getters that continually seek, strive and stride towards success yields clear benefits.

Recommend? Yes 14 No 4

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