Summer Schools Initiative in Donegal ETB

Donegal has a strong tradition of summer schools with the village of Glenties having just celebrated the 35th Magill Summer School. This year Donegal ETB’s Adult & Further Education and Training Service decided to follow this example by organising its own series of Summer Schools for adult learners. The Schools ran from 6th -30th July and were centred around English Language learning, General Learning and Information & Communications Technology. Classes were combined with cultural activities (eg visits to the theatre and cinema, and to Glenveagh National Park and Dunfanaghy Workhouse) and provided adults with an opportunity to build oral, aural, written, and IT skills. The combination of activities and lessons has attracted over 100 participants in nine groups in Inishowen, Letterkenny, Finn Valley and Donegal Town. Key to the success of the programmes was the provision of creche facilities for parents taking part. While the media focused on Magill and Glenties, adult learners across Donegal engaged in a four-week programme of learning and activities which will hopefully give them a solid foundation for engaging in further education programmes in the autumn.