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  Rural learning must be cost effective, says MP  

Ufi, the public-private partnership behind learndirect was set up in 1998
Mr Bacon wants to see Learndirect
make more use of online learning
and community venues like
village halls

SOUTH NORFOLK MP Richard Bacon has called on Learndirect, an adult learning partnership, to look at making more use of technology to deliver cost-effective adult learning programmes in rural areas, as a new report finds that Learndirect centres in rural areas are finding it difficult to make ends meet.

Mr Bacon was speaking as the Commons public accounts committee published its report today on the Learndirect services provided by public-private partnership Ufi. The report finds that the provision of services in rural areas is likely to benefit from investment in new technology and that the cost of running Learndirect centres in rural areas with low population density is posing difficulties for Ufi.

  


Mr Bacon said:

“Smaller Learndirect centres, particularly those in rural areas, are struggling. The advent of broadband and the falling price of PCs have made the need to attend any kind of learning centre less important. Ufi might serve rural communities better by investing in delivering home-learning packages over the internet, rather than keeping learning centres open when they are not economically viable”.

“Rural provision of Learndirect courses could also benefit greatly by making use of the many excellent village halls and community centres that counties like Norfolk have to offer. There is much that Ufi can do to bridge the gap between what rural learners need and what Learndirect can cost-effectively offer”.

7 March 2006

See also:
PAC REPORT: Ufi and the learndirect service

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© Richard Bacon 2010