Challenges: COVID and the folkbildning law
The adult education sector has been significantly affected by COVID-19, but DAEA only faced minor issues. DAEA’s work program changed, as they were to document the consequences of the lock down of their member organizations and report it back to the ministry. Adjusting programs and providing education during the lockdown and restrictions was one of the major challenges for the last year. Some people are scared to sign up for adult education, especially the elderly. Many member organisations experienced a big loss in income due to cancelled events.
One of the priorities of DAEA for the next will be changing the folkbildning law. At the moment municipalities subsidise a maximum of one third of the costs for teacher and manager salaries. In order to minimize the local differences and hence the differences in participant fees, DAEA wants to change the law, so that the municipalities are obliged to give a subsidy corresponding to a minimum of one third of the costs, with the possibility to support even more.