The National Association for Teaching English and Community Languages to Adults endorses the concerns raised about cuts in Esol (FE Focus, November 26). Cuts in FE funding, the loss of the 1.4 weighting for Skills for Life and the Government’s approach to this area of learning are creating the most serious crisis Esol has ever seen.

There are already waiting lists for provision and the current decisions will even further deny people the right to learn English, while the loss of the 1.4 weighting will further raise fees, taking classes out of the reach of many learners.

If the Government wants people to be part of the “big society”, language is the key. Esol learners are keen to learn the language and integrate, but to do so they need language teaching provision.

Our association urges the Government to think again and make Esol a priority.

Sent on behalf of NATECLA co-chairs and management council.