ESOL funding secure for another year Friday, March 23, 2012 - 15:21

NIACE has welcomed the news from the Skills Funding Agency that English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) qualifications are to be funded for another year - 2012/13 - and remains hopeful that the funding for ESOL will continue into 2013/14 and beyond.

Responding to the confirmation from the Skills Funding Agency of ‘the continued funding for 2012/13 of ESOL Adult Basic Skills Certificates at Entry, Level 1 and Level 2', Joyce Black, Head of Skills for Life at NIACE, said:            

"We are pleased that the funding for ESOL will be extended for another year and in time for providers to complete their curriculum plans and the associated programme publicity. However the year by year funding is a concern.

Looking back we were concerned that the changes to literacy and numeracy qualification funding would affect ESOL particularly as the ESOL qualifications at Entry level are no longer solely used for the purpose they were developed.

We welcome a review of the ‘future shape and content for ESOL qualifications' and would support and encourage

awarding organisations to develop further units, particularly at Entry levels, which are very challenging for some ESOL learners.

This extension of funding is good news for learners but we also need to remember that unlike learners who choose to work towards literacy and numeracy qualifications, some ESOL learners must achieve an ESOL Entry qualification to secure their legal status in the UK because it is required for settlement - indefinite leave to remain - in the UK for British citizenship."