Girls Pumps-Ageism in Education

Lifelong Learning is the title of the government's drive for people, presumably of all ages, to continue learning new skills and gaining additional qualifications. UCAS state that over 40% of students are mature students; but they define 'mature' as 22 or over. The difficulty for the more mature would-be learner, say someone around the age of forty years or over, lies in finding the courses for those new skills and qualifications, particularly if the older learner intends to go on to university. There are plenty of night classes and adult learning centres, and they are fine for those of us who just want to pick up a new hobby and maybe a couple of new friends along with girls high heel. However, for those who wish to pursue vocational or academic lines there is a problem; where do they go to get them? Whereas in the early 1990s it was possible for adults to go to night school and pick up a few GCSE's or A levels, as I did before I went to university, now the only place to gain academic qualifications is at a sixth form college. When A levels could be learned during the evening at the local comprehensive there were a mass of classes being held; all different subjects, recreational, vocational and academic. A returning learner, halfway through their 7 - 9 p.m. class, would make their way patiently along to the hall so they could take their place in the queue for a plastic cup of insipid coffee and a spongy biscuit alongside those taking their breaks from art appreciation, car maintenance or yoga classes. We would quickly establish a camaraderie, we were all there for adult learning. But now night classes at local schools and at adult centres are purely recreational subjects; it's all tai chi or reiki with a bit of sugar craft thrown in to sweeten the deal girls pumps. The best a mature learner can hope for now is a GCSE in either maths or English. Yet the paradox is that this government, and the one before it, is continually encouraging us all to widen our horizons and consider other careers. There is a recession and many people are being laid off from their jobs. Some, estate agents are an obvious example, are finding it more difficult than others to stay in work so it makes sense to use the time of lower work opportunities to retrench, re-assess and retrain. But how do we do that if we are unable to get those vital initial A levels? Even vocational courses at universities require a high standard of education before you can get in girls boots. While sixth form colleges might be great for 16 to 19 year olds, adults with children that age don't necessarily want to sit next to their kids' mates in order to pick up the two As and a B they'll need to go to university. Even at night school, sixth form colleges are still bristling with adolescence and testosterone. Where one to brave all of that and take the necessary classes anyway, a returning learner would find themselves pressured by the college to take the full curriculum; back to school full time! There are funding implications for the college, these institutions inform us, which in turn has a financial impact on the learner. Apparently, taking a part time course incurs several hundreds of pounds in tuition fees for the student, unless they opt for a full time course in which case it's free for the student. This is wrapped up in part-time places not being funded while full time places are. And if you think the courses are free if you are claiming benefits, sorry. Only GCSE English and maths is free, the bare minimum for you to get a job. Oh, and if the student aims to take subjects at GCSE level, basic skills is a necessary part of the full time curriculum. No matter what qualifications the student holds when they begin their course, PhD or MSc. or whatever else they might have, 'basic skills' as a subject for GCSE level courses is obligatory girls on sale.