CUTTING CLASSES

Dismay as €1M shortfall in local education budget hits

Around 130 Further Education and Training (FET) and adult education courses have been cancelled or postponed just as the new academic year kicks in, it was revealed at the September meeting of the Cavan and Monaghan Education and Training Board (CMETB).

This is due to a €1M budget shortfall in the two counties for 2024 despite strong demand and enrolment at colleges and centres.

The situation was explained to shocked members at the CMETB meeting in Monaghan Institute last week - its first since the June Local Elections.

The organisation’s Director of Further Education and Training, Dr Linda Pinkster, highlighted how the national budget for FET was not increased in 2024. Due to increased pay costs - arising from pay agreements and associated arrears - as well as other expenses including higher overheads and a rise in demand for provision and learner numbers, CMETB and the other 15 ETBs across Ireland have been operating on a reduced budget.

“Since the start of 2024, ETBs were advised nationally to continue with their provision as planned and that there may be additional monies later in the year,” explained Dr Pinkster.

“CMETB did as advised and provided programmes to meet demand, which is continually increasing, particularly for English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL).

“Currently, CMETB has no additional money forthcoming for its FET services and its 2024 budget for adult education is fully committed as of September.”

THE meeting heard that the funding shortfall has hit staff and learners at CMETB particularly hard because of its strong focus on adult education and high student numbers.

Dr Pinkster told board members that, while CMETB’s priority is to try “to provide as many programmes as possible with limited resources and to honour contractual obligations to staff”, it is regrettable that it is unable to offer programmes beyond that, at this point.

“Additional resources for FET are being sought nationally,” she added.

“If increased resources are forthcoming, CMETB will immediately roll out additional programmes for the many learners that are on waiting lists and allocate more classes to tutors. However, the ETB cannot do this without the necessary budget.”

It was explained to the meeting that CMETB’s initial allocation for FET from SOLAS was €34M. However, €36M was required to fully deliver on its programmes and this was communicated to its funders in early 2024.

The 2024 allocation was subsequently increased to €35M which, while welcome, is still €1M short of what is required. It’s understood that, as a result of the shortfall, many courses have been postponed.

These include certified Childcare, Healthcare, Business, ICT, ESOL, Horticulture and Communications pro grammes, and other non-certified/hobby type classes across both Cavan and Monaghan.

However, 148 courses are going ahead this year across the two counties.

“This is not a position that CMETB wishes to be in,” Dr Pinkster told those gathered.

“We have large learner numbers, which we have spent many years building up and who are a testament to the hard work and commitment of our FET managers, co-ordinators and tutors.

“CMETB is continually developing new programmes and projects to meet learner needs and we sincerely hope that the funding issue can be overcome and work can progress.”

Members’ reaction

The newly appointed chair of the board, Cllr David Maxwell (FG), told the meeting he had received correspondence, which indicated that due to a lack of funds, certain classes were cancelled and tutors “laid off”.

He said: “I’m quite taken aback; I thought we had abundant resources,” he stated before proposing that the board write to the Minister for Higher Education, Patrick O’Donovan, about the matter.

“I would like to invite him to Cavan and Monaghan to see for himself what we have here and the need for funding,” he added.

In response, Dr Pinkster said that, nationally, there has been no increase in the budget. “We are now in September and there is no more money forthcoming. The main impact is on our adult education classes.”

Dr Pinkster added: “We can not run all our classes if we do not have enough money - and we cannot overspend.”

Following the meeting, the CMETB clarified that there is a growing demand for English language classes in particular coming from “increased learner numbers and new communities”.

Meanwhile, Cllr Clifford Kelly (FF) pointed to the “massive amount of money” that has been invested in the area of apprenticeships and skills. He suggested transferring a portion of that for ETB funding.

“I think that we should ask Minister O’Donovan to transfer some of that money out and use it for these courses,” he suggested.

“I propose that we write to the Department of Higher Education and ask that the massive surplus in that area be provided to us on this occasion.”

Sinn Féin’s Colm Carthy then asked if there was a mechanism in place whereby CMETB could overspend on further education in 2024 to keep classes running and then cut provision next year?

Dr Pinkster clarified: “We have been categorically told that we cannot overspend, and we have been told that next year’s budgets won’t change. So, if we overspend this year, we will have even more problems next year.”

Cllr Carthy also suggested writing to Minister Jack Chambers on the issue. Elsewhere,

Cllr Carmel Brady (FG) pointed to The Hub in Cootehill, which she added, “runs computer courses and is dependent on the ETB funding to keep its doors open and pro vide services”.

“This needs to be sorted as soon as possible,” Cllr Brady insisted.

Belturbet Cllr Brendan Fay (Ind) said one group that received ETB funding was Men’s Sheds - for computer classes. “Many men attend these sheds and do courses,” he continued. “This issue is going to impact older people in communities and tutors who are now out of a job. We need to get these courses back on track and fund them.”

Fianna Fáil’s Áine Smith (FF) added: “We all received emails about what has happened. With regard to the childcare courses that are impacted, we are in desperate need of peo ple trained in childcare so that we can go to work while they take care of our children. It’s a matter that needs to be recti fied immediately.”

In conclusion, Cllr Aidan Campbell (FG) highlighted how he spoke to a tutor impacted prior to the meeting. He asked if there was an issue with Contract of Indefinite Duration (CID) and the number of hours worked.

“We have tutors with CIDs and have contractual obligations to those people that have to be met,” replied Dr Pinkster.

"CMETB will honour these contractual obligations. However, until there is clarification on additional money, regrettably, we cannot provide any additional Adult Education Classes.

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