Damning report for basic skills

Further education colleges are being harnessed to an increasingly prescriptive central government drive to improve workforce skills, it emerged this week.

Education secretary David Blunkett said it was time for a more rigorous approach to post-16 learning, with a firm emphasis on boosting economic performance. Mr Blunkett made it clear that colleges must play their part by providing courses that skill and re-skill the workforce.

Mr Blunkett was speaking at the launch of the final report of the National Skills Task Force on Tuesday. The report paints a damning picture of basic skills in the United Kingdom. It makes a number of recommendations that Mr Blunkett promised to pursue.

Mr Blunkett said: "Opportunity for all is not only a right, it is an economic necessity. No longer can we educate just an elite to the highest levels - we need to develop the talents of every member of the workforce to their full potential.

"Our objective is to build a high- standard ladder of progression in vocational learning, from secondary education up to higher education."

Key to the more rigorous agenda is the national Learning and Skills Council. The giant quango, with an annual budget in excess of Pounds 6 billion, will control funding and strategic planning for all post-16 education, excluding higher education, from next April.

Mr Blunkett said that there would be a full response to the task force recommendations in the autumn, after spending targets have been set up to 2004 by the summer spending review. But he added: "My top priorities for the new LSC will include many task force recommendations."

The government is already taking steps to give the LSC greater powers to develop workforce skills at national and local level. Lifelong learning minister Malcolm Wicks last week announced new amendments to the Learning and Skills Bill, which sets up the LSC. The amendments give the LSC a stronger role in developing workforce skills.

Bryan Sanderson, chairman designate of the LSC, said: "The task of the LSC is to transform our education and training system so that it provides the basis for the skilled and educated workforce that our country needs to ensure its success in the modern world."

David Gibson, chief executive of the Association of Colleges, said: "I think colleges have a balancing act whereby they want UK plc to be competitive and to be encouraging personal development."

Mr Blunkett also announced more financial support for part-time college students. The government will review individual learning accounts and loans and look at fee remission for these students. Mr Blunkett announced consultation on reforms to foundation and advanced modern apprenticeships. The aim is to give vocational education parity with academic learning. The vocational route would include new two-year foundation degrees.

www.dfee.gov.uk/skillsforce/index.htm