Corangamite District Adult Education (CDAE) manager Len Wiseman said a reduction in state government funding would mean an increase in fees for participants.

“Learners will need to fund a greater part of their learning endeavour,” Mr Wiseman said.

“What we need most of all is the support of the local community as we move through this process, which will certainly mean a delay in offering new courses.”

Corangamite Shire CEO Andrew Mason and mayor Chris O’Connor will raise the funding cut with Minister for Higher Education and Skills Peter Hall when they meet him in Melbourne tomorrow.

Mr Mason said it was important there were training opportunities provided within the shire and that council supported long-life education in the municipality. In a statement released to The Standard, Mr Wiseman said the reduction in funding for training delivery, together with changes in eligibility criteria for foundation qualifications, required a new approach to course delivery and operations.

He said he wanted to assure the community of the organisation’s desire to continue to provide courses for local people, but a workable foundation needed to be established which ensured the CDAE’s capacity to maintain education and training services. Mr Wiseman said while that planning was taking place no commitment to a start date for courses could be made.

“We would like to assure the Corangamite community of our desire to continue to have a presence in the ongoing provision of courses for local people,” he said. 

“Students continuing from 2013 will recommence progressively over the next few weeks.”

Other services provided by CDAE, including the Centrelink Agency, Corangamite NILS, Camperdown Men’s Shed and Broadband for Seniors, will continue as usual.