The future of adult community education in Victoria 2020-25: ministerial statement

Adult community education plays an integral role in Victoria's broader education sector. The 2018 Future Opportunities for Adult Learners in Victoria project was an important first step towards understanding whether the adult community education sector is adequately equipped to support at-risk Victorians into social and economic participation. The project highlighted the importance of rallying the sector around a ministerial statement that articulated its purpose and value.

This ministerial statement is the culmination of significant work with the sector since 2018 to give adult community education the recognition and strategic direction it deserves. It establishes a reform agenda for the six years 2020 to 2025, focusing the Adult, Community and Further Education Board and the adult community education sector on adult literacy, numeracy, employability and digital skills training. It also identifies a strengthened role for the sector in supporting students to enter and successfully complete TAFE and university courses; and in upskilling and reskilling low-skilled workers who may be vulnerable to becoming unemployed as work changes. The Statement is the first Victorian Government statement on adult community education since that made by the Hon Lynne Kosky as Minister for Education and Training in 2004.

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