After a working life spent in adult and further education, I am shocked that the projected cuts will critically affect adult basic skills and community-based education (“UCU sounds strike warning over job cuts”, September 24). When I moved to Hull more than 20 years ago it was to play a part in developing an open learning centre for adults with basic skills needs. I am forced to say that under the Tories adult education was better funded than the stop-start approach of New Labour.

When the “Learning Age” was published by Blunkett in 1998 we were promised a sympathetic approach. After the “Education, education, education” speech we believed the “Cinderella” adult education services would get the recognition we justly deserved.

Under the Learning and Skills Council we lurched from one initiative to another. Never properly thought-through, let alone funded, we just about survived. Now it looks like it will all be over.

An FE lecturer, Hull, via the TES website (www.tes.co.uk).