Adult education: 'Weekly Spanish lessons stop me feeling lonely'

Adult learners have expressed concern they will be left isolated if the cost of classes goes up significantly.

For 81-year-old Carolyn Dorr, from Coventry, her weekly Spanish lessons at the Adult Education Centre in the city are important for her mental and physical health.

Coventry City Council is considering increasing the price of lessons due to a lack of funding.

Ms Dorr warned it could be a "disaster" for people like her.

'Vulnerable to loneliness'

She has been studying advanced Spanish conversation and culture for about five years.

"The life contact for me is particularly important," she said.

"People are very vulnerable to loneliness and the adult education actually provides a solution."

In England, it is expected that £1bn less will be spent on adult education in 2025 compared with 2010, and funding issues at Coventry City Council has prompted a review of its services.

The council said classes were not under threat, but it had to consider fee increases as it was facing inflationary costs.

Class members said they were told that, with a subsidy, classes that currently cost about £150 per year could go up to as much as £600, however the council said it did not recognise these figures.

"At the moment, our intention is to keep all courses going," said councillor Dr Kindy Sandhu, the cabinet member for education.

"But at the same time, the reality is we have inflationary costs to meet, so what can we do that has the most minimum of minimum impacts to our residents, particularly our vulnerable residents."

The council has not yet reached a decision on the future of the classes.