As we celebrate Adult Learners’ Week, ColegauCymru is setting out a clear and compelling case for lifelong learning in its Manifesto ahead of the 2026 Senedd election. With the world of work evolving rapidly - driven by green skills, digital transformation, and artificial intelligence - adult education must be at the heart of Wales’ strategy for economic renewal and social wellbeing.
Our call to action is simple: ensure every adult in Wales has the opportunity to learn, grow, and contribute throughout their lives.
Our Senedd 2026 Election Manifesto focus is on Growth, Opportunity and Fairness.
- Grow the economy The ColegauCymru 2026 Senedd Election Manifesto highlights how adult learning and upskilling are a key part of the building a modern Welsh economy, as well as preparing for the changing nature of work; the need for more green skills and the rise in artificial intelligence.
- Improve participation, progress and outcomes Lifelong learning also provides a sense of wellbeing and purpose, helping to address social issues such as loneliness and isolation. These benefits in turn provide communities with the tools to thrive. Learning new skills which not only helps people into work but allows us all to keep up with a changing world and our rapidly transforming workplaces.
- Tackle intergenerational inequality and poverty Participation in lifelong learning has fallen over the last decade in Wales with large inequalities in access to learning by age, socioeconomic group, and prior educational attainment. The reason for this big drop was a large reduction in funding in 2013, not a drop in need or demand. Funding for adult community learning was reduced by 37.5%, while budgets for part-time further education was cut by 33%. Adult Community Learning is essential for those individuals who have been under-served, and furthest away from education and employment.
As funding pressures intensify, we must avoid a narrowing of the curriculum offer. The closure or reduction of provision will have negative consequences on health and other services.
Fees and funding to cover living costs are also a major concern for learners. It is often the lack of maintenance funding, and the need to continue working, that act as barriers to pursing further and higher education.
Our Recommendations
To ensure that adult learning can continue to help communities thrive in Wales, the next Welsh Government, working with Medr, should:
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commit to deliver a new entitlement to lifelong learning for every adult in Wales. This should be a long-term policy goal that starts with reversing cuts to adult education, introducing new funding lines to allow colleges to provide rapid and flexible reskilling and upskilling and that ultimately allows individuals to access a personalised, flexible learning fund that they can access throughout their lives;
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invest in rolling out Recognition of Prior Learning to support adults with the fewest qualifications to gain recognition for the skills they have. This will help fast-track learners to achieving recognised qualifications and provide them with the opportunity to gain higher-skilled and higher-wage jobs; and
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recognise the opportunities and challenges from the development of AI by working with colleges to ensure every adult who wants it the access to learning they need to understand the basics of using AI. Colleges should be funded and supported by both the next Welsh Government and by Medr to be the frontline provider of foundational AI learning, to be a part of the pathway into AI careers and to support employers to upskill their workforces.
Learn More - ColegauCymru Manifesto for Senedd 2026 Election
We’ll be launching our Manifesto for the Senedd 2026 election in early October. Details will be published on our website. You can also email Tanwen.James@ColegauCymru.ac.uk to be added to our mailing list.
Further Information
Adult Leaners’ Week - Never Stop Learning
15 - 21 September 2025
ColegauCymru Report
Demonstrating the social value of further education colleges in Wales
April 2024
Amy Williams, ColegauCymru Policy Officer
Amy.Williams@ColegauCymru.ac.uk
