The statistic seems to have gone unnoticed. Is it that universities and colleges are not concerned about catering to the needs of those wanting to study part-time who are mainly adult learners? Or is it that the hike in tuition fees means that for many adult learners education is simply out of reach?

The Government plans to make those over 24 pay for the full price for adult education from next August which means students would have to take out loans of up to £3700 to take an A Level. This will make it much more difficult for those people on low incomes who did not thrive whilst at school to help themselves and turn their lives around later in life. Civil servants have warned that up to 45% of those on courses would be put off by the loans.