A commitment to leave no one behind
The measures planned by the Belgian government are also having a severe impact on our sector and our workers: the planned radical reduction of the social welfare system means poorer working conditions and the cutting or complete removal of allowances and benefits for times when they are needed, including sick leave, childcare, unemployment and retirement.
Opportunities for upskilling and reskilling are also affected. Our Belgian members are facing dramatic funding cuts, which will make adult learning and education more precarious for educators and other staff and reduce the range of learning opportunities. As a result, fewer people will have access to adult learning and education or will be unable to continue their learning pathways.
To stand behind our commitment to leave no one behind, EAEA took to the streets in a peaceful demonstration, alongside other CSOs.
Decreasing funding levels – and yet expecting miracles?
Despite the European Union’s emphasis on prioritising Adult Learning and Education (ALE) through various initiatives and strategies, recent reports from EAEA’s members reveal that a majority of countries and regions are witnessing stagnant or reduced funding for ALE. The argument put forward by political decision-makers is the economic situation of the respective countries: We believe that this is an extremely short-sighted approach.
In 2022, the EAEA working group on financing took a closer look at the current financing levels of ALE in Europe (or, rather, what we know and don’t know about them), financing instruments, and key trends and challenges in financing ALE, resulting in a working paper.
More recently, in EAEA’s 2024 statement on ‘Upskilling Pathways’, we conclude the need for more visibility, funding, and continuous implementation efforts, in order to ensure the sustainability and focus of the initiatives can only be ensured by sufficient long-term public funding and structural support.