Adult learners make their voices heard at forum in Offaly

A TOTAL of 59 adult learners from Laois and Offaly Education and Training Board (ETB) convened at a regional meeting of the National Further Education and Training (FET) Learner Forum in Tullamore recently.

Learners met to share their experiences in FET and offered their opinions on how to improve FET services to ensure they were meeting learners’ needs. The meeting took place at the Tullamore Court Hotel and involved learners from a variety of FET courses offered by Laois and Offaly ETB.

The National FET Learner Forum is a collaborative effort between AONTAS, the National Adult Learning Organisation; SOLAS, the Further Education and Training Authority; and Education and Training Boards (ETBs).

This meeting was one of a series of regional meetings that will take place across the country this year. Last year, over 3500 learners shared their experience of learning through the Forum.

Ireland continues to be a European leader in capturing the learner voice through regional and national Forums. As a learner-centred form of provision, SOLAS continues to make FET  responsive to learner needs. The Forum acts as a way for learners to directly influence FET provision.

Their suggestions for improvement will result in a clear outline of recommendations which AONTAS will share directly with policy makers and Education and Training Boards. Through the Forum, learners shared that, while many were satisfied with the support for learning they received from Laois Offaly Education and Training board, improved information on the supports available to them would allow more people to avail of them, and may encourage others to take a FET course. 

Speaking about the Forum, Dearbháil Lawless, CEO of AONTAS, said: “The Forum provides FET learners from Laois and Offaly ETB with the opportunity to have their voices heard, and to help shape further education at local, regional and national level for themselves and other learners. AONTAS believes that learners are experts of their own learning, and that they can identify what is working and what improvements are needed to ensure learner success, progression and fulfilment. We look forward to using the recommendations shared by learners from the Forum in supporting SOLAS and ETBs in creating a world-class FET system that is learner-centred.”

Anne Marie Keane, FET Manager with Laois and Offaly ETB said of the event: “This wonderful event for LOETB learners has grown from strength to strength over the past four years. We are delighted for AONTAS to assist us in facilitating learners to offer their opinions and share their insights – with this feedback, we aim to continually improve the service we offer to all of our learners. We are so grateful to AONTAS for the fantastic service they provide.” 

If you are thinking of going back to education further information on AONTAS can be found here: www.aontas.com or you can call AONTAS on 1800 303 669 or check out the range of programmes available in Laois Offaly Education and Training Board here: https://www.loetb.ie/find-a-course