Sunday, June 28, 2009

Cutting classes!

If you have picked up a Continuing Education supplement from your letter box this weekend you will know that from next year most high schools will no longer offer evening classes. Each year, more than 200,000 New Zealanders attend these safe, affordable and accessible classes.

I could accept the need for cuts if this government were not spending additional billions on roading. In a recession, more than ever, these classes are needed to enable people to gain skills, build confidence and remain connected to the community. For some, attending a class at the local high school may be the first tentative step on the way to further learning.

For people coping with difficult or stressful situations attending an evening class is a better option than swallowing pills or playing the pokies.

3 comments:

  1. kia ora daphne & welcome to the blogoshpere! am totally looking forward to your contributions.
    anjum

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  2. I totally agree. I also resent the cuts in view of the facts that:
    a) Govt have decided that costs cannot be cut at Bellamy's
    b)this Govt's travel costs are higher for the same period than the previous Govt and most of all
    c) the ridiculous referendum that is going to cost $9million and result in nothing (thank goodness, but we could have got no law change for no cost at all!)

    I've gone to evening classes to learn skills to keep up in the workforce and found them very useful. I'm horrified they're being cut.

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  3. Indeed! Evening classes are where refugees and migrants learn English. Family friend and colleagues of the Deaf lean sign language. NZers learn foreign languages with myself and my workmates have later used in business. I learned much te reo maori in evening classes. They also run budgeting classes, something more of us are going to need in the near future.

    ReplyDelete