Hello!

I am writing again about the recent decision by the LSC to cut funding for 
ESOL lessons for low paid migrant workers and for asylum seekers. I view 
this as a disgraceful and illiberal move. 

As I have maintained here before, withdrawing free ESOL lessons from 
migrant workers from the EU possibly contravenes European law, 
specifically article 14 of the European convention on the legal status of 
migrant workers. As for withdrawing funding for asylum seekers, I think 
the LSC should be ashamed of themselves. ESOL lessons, as we all know, are 
a lifeline for learners who are asylum seekers, and to take this away from 
them is a callous move. 

I would very much like to know what others think about this, and what 
people are considering in response.

Here is the original LSC press release about its annual statement of 
priorities where the announcement concerning funding was made. The link to 
the .pdf is 
http://www.lsc.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/eksfo755wbgeubgteivb7k6dyimswhat4yc6snq7
zipfd3rsobv7n4nlvqdr4gtmnpmbbzvu7zreie/pr388annualstatementofpriorities.pdf
Alternatively go to the LSC home page, go to ‘media channel’, then follow 
the link to “LSC reveals top priorities for 2007-08”

The announcement about funding is buried towards the end. The actual quote 
is: ‘From 2007/08 ESOL learning will no longer attract automatic fee 
remission. Free tuition will still be available to priority groups, for 
example, for people who are unemployed or receiving income-based benefits. 
[…] To bring FE funding in line with other Government departments, asylum 
seekers will no longer be automatically eligible for publicly funded FE 
provision from 2007/08 (except those granted refugee status, humanitarian 
protection or discretionary leave by the Government).

The Refugee Council was quick off the mark with a response:
http://www.refugeecouncil.org.uk/news/press/2006/october/pr_learning_and_sk
ills.htm

Leeds-based people might want to contact Lydia Brown at RETAS, who are 
coordinating a local response. (Thanks Lydia for this information)
Lydia Brown, Advisor, Refugee Education Training Advisory Service, 335 
Roundhay Road, Leeds, LS8 4HT, 0113 2407320. [log in to unmask] 
<mailto:[log in to unmask]>  

Here again is a link to the original article in the Guardian which brought 
this to my attention:
http://education.guardian.co.uk/tefl/story/0,,1929455,00.html

Angela Keenan writes from Tadcaster reminding us of the June 2005 KPMG 
review of ESOL (Thanks Angela). I had read this before, but hadn’t noticed 
it was commissioned by the LSC and the Skills for Life Strategy Unit. It 
may have informed the recent decision about funding, perhaps. It strikes 
me as a lightweight and superficial study. It does not, however, recommend 
withdrawing funding for ESOL for asylum seekers. Here is a link: 
http://www.thelearningcampus.co.uk/uploads/kpmg-review-of-english-for-
speakers-of-other-languages.pdf

Cheers
James

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