Ulster Unionist Agriculture and Rural Development Spokesperson, Jo-Anne Dobson MLA has urged the Minister of Employment and Learning to protect education courses provided to rural communities.
The Upper Bann MLA said:
“Education which is based at the very heart of rural communities often delivers the best outcomes.
“Community classes offered in church halls, Orange halls and community halls by our six local Further and Higher Education Colleges are a lifeline to many people living and working in isolated rural areas across Northern Ireland, enabling them to avail of services and teaching often only available in our towns and cities.
“As we look to the beginning of the new academic year in September I urge the Employment and Learning Minister to ensure that Colleges are not be forced into adopting a silo mentality when it comes to these courses.
“It must never be forgotten that for many they provide a vital stepping stone to further academic study as well as helping people to start and grow their own rural businesses.
“To reduce courses offered in rural areas would be a backward step, undoing many years of community development and condemning rural communities to live in continued isolation.
“Community courses encourage and engage people at any age to learn new skills, whether it be craft, basic computers, fitness or indeed more academic courses like accounting, local history, childcare and advanced computing.
"The Department of Agriculture’s continued drive to put everything online and encourage all farmers onto the internet to run their businesses provide an even greater incentive to retain important community computing courses.
“Taking part in community courses brings so many social, physical and mental benefits and I know first-hand how these courses have helped to energise rural communities and improve physical and mental health. They must be protected and expanded.
“People who live and work in rural areas should not become the victim of budget cuts which force colleges to reduce their menu of courses within the community by effectively retreating to main town-centre College buildings - an effective balance must be retained.
“I am once again calling on the Stormont Departments of Agriculture, Health and Employment and Learning to stop operating in isolation from one another and to begin to work together to help promote and increase services in rural areas.
"My fear however, is that due to budget cuts community courses are being seen as a soft target, when in reality these courses are a life-line to many people across Northern Ireland - we need action before it is too late.”