Further education and skills consultation launched Wednesday, July 28, 2010 - 17:26

John Hayes MP, Minister of State for Further Education, Skills and Lifelong Learning, has launched a consultation on further education and skills.

Employers, colleges, training organisations and individuals are invited to share their ideas on the future direction of adult learning policy. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has published two consultation papers seeking to transform adult learning.

The first consultation, on the future direction of skills policy, sets out how the Coalition Government is approaching the task of developing policy, while the second consultation invites views on how to implement a simpler funding system, building on the principles of the recent review completed by Chris Banks.

Welcoming the consultation, NIACE Principal Policy Officer, Alastair Thomson, said:

"The advice that Government receives will help shape adult learning in England for the period ahead so responses to these documents will be as significant as the spending review itself in developing public policy for lifelong learning. At a time of unprecedented pressure on public spending, it is vital to ensure that the full range of economic and social benefits that adult education and training deliver are realised."

"NIACE staff and members will work closely together between now and October to produce a comprehensive and authoritative response to the Government's questions."

The consultation was launched in a speech, earlier today at Hackney College, by John Hayes. He said:

"The need to establish a system that makes possible a truly lifelong approach to learning, nurturing sustainable economic growth and social renewal, is perhaps more urgent than it has ever been before."

"Education is the greatest civilising force that has ever existed or ever will. Knowledge really is power. It says to people, raise your heads and look to the future because your future is yours to build. And it says that what you become is in your hands."

"The system we want to build must harness both the economic and the social potential of lifelong learning. And I see the Comprehensive Spending Review not as a threat, but as an opportunity to do precisely that."

"The direction we want to take is clear. The issue is how best to get there. And that is where we need to hear your thoughts on how things could be made to work better, to draw on your knowledge of how things work in real life, and to learn more about the real obstacles you have to overcome on a daily basis."