STUDENTS and college staff turned out in Cardigan on Wednesday as part of an all-Wales protest against significant cuts to Further Education funding.

About 20 protestors gathered outside the Guildhall to voice their concerns about the impact of a proposed 50 per cent cut to adult education in the country next year.

The cuts are on top of a 2.6 per cent ‘efficiency’ cut to college budgets which was already due to take effect next year.

A mix of students, staff and union representatives from Coleg Ceredigion attended saying they were concerned about the security of jobs and the quality of education.

The cuts, announced for the academic year beginning in September, will severely reduce the opportunities available for adults, many of whom are ‘second chance’ learners returning to education later on in their lives to improve their job prospects.

As well as cutting course provision, colleges are reducing the number of staff to meet the hole in the budgets following the Welsh Government's announcement.

There will be an average 6.14 per cent budget cut at Wales’ 15 colleges between 2014/15 and 2015/16, but that smaller percentage masks the much more savage cut to courses for those over 19 years of age, which will bear the brunt of savings, unions have said.

When questioned over the cuts, Julie James, deputy minister for skills and technology said: “The reductions in funding announced are challenging for all in the post-16 sector, but each of the principals we have met recognises the importance of working closely with Welsh Government to minimise any impacts.”

But the cuts have left staff and students from the college concerned about the effect that these cuts will have on Cardigan's community.

Manon Harrison, a student from Coleg Ceredigion and taking part in the protest, said: “The College is really good and I do not want it to go downhill or close.”

Union representatives from UCU (University and College Union) and Unison Wales joined the protesters and handed out leaflets around Cardigan to raise awareness of the cuts.

A protest was also held at Pembrokeshire College, based in Haverfordwest.

There UCU rep Steve Quinton said: “The effect on courses is going to be slightly more than the 2.6 per cent, we’ll have less time for teaching staff to teach students.”

He added: “We’re in a redundancy process at the moment in the tens, which started in late February, and will kick in for September for 2015-16.

“Pretty much all learners will have less contact time with staff, with part-time more than full time, adults coming back into learning, people who want to return for a new career, they’re going to really struggle to afford courses.”

Anne Hammond of UNISON said: “It’s a dreadful situation to be in, with so many voluntary redundancies and loss of funding. We’ve lost so much with the loss of Murco and South Hook, it’s like Pembrokeshire is dying; it’s devastating.”

Among the politicians who have commented on the protests is former teacher Mark Williams, who is standing as the Welsh Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate for Ceredigion.

He said: “Not only will this prevent young people finding appropriate training and vocational courses to use as a springboard for their careers and enhance their job prospects, but it will also impact severely on older learners who are trying desperately to get back into work and up-skill.

“As a former teacher, it saddens me hugely that this will result in less contact time between learners and staff and probable staff redundancies.”

More protests are planned, and a group from Cardigan will be out again on Wednesday, April 29, when they will travel to the Senedd to join protestors from colleges around Wales at Cardiff Bay.