Realising the Potential
A NIACE Comment on Sir Andrew Foster's review on the future role of Further Education colleges
Published: November 2005
NIACE gives a warm welcome to Sir Andrew Foster’s report Realising the Potential – a review of the future role of further education colleges. Given that eight in ten college students are adults, we particularly welcome the report’s recognition that listening to the voices of learners of all sorts must be a central part of reform.
We are also pleased that Sir Andrew has identified as crucial the need to develop the college workforce to meet the challenges ahead, although we are disappointed that he does not consider how this is to be resourced.
Our main concern with the report lies in its failure to acknowledge the scale of the demographic dimension of the skills challenge the country faces. Up to a million adults are set to lose college places simply because of the numbers of young people set to enter the sector by 2009. This is because the current legislative framework has the effect of making adults second-class students. This is economically shortsighted and should not have been left unchallenged.
NIACE supports Sir Andrew’s recommendation that further education colleges should focus their mission on employability and economically valuable skills. We note though that the text of the report states that this should not mean an abandonment of colleges’ existing role in combating social exclusion and individual development. The skills agenda cannot be achieved without recognising that colleges are also an engine of social justice and mobility.
NIACE hopes that stronger links will be developed with local authorities and schools, universities, voluntary and private sector providers as a result. This would ensure that all publicly-supported learning for personal, academic and community development dovetails with the college sector so that learners of every age can be offered opportunities to learning and develop skills of all kinds.
Sir Andrew Foster makes clear a desire to see poor quality performance by colleges tackled swiftly and firmly. NIACE notes also that he is equally robust in calling on the Department for Education and Skills and the Learning and Skills Council to create a stable agenda for development that does away with excessive regulation and micro-management. Both changes will be welcome.
The acid test of the report’s success will be in the extent that it increases and widens the participation and achievement of all students – and NIACE looks forward to continuing to help further education colleges realise their potential.
