English language courses
will deliver better deal for learners and the taxpayer
Skills Minister
John Hayes today pledged to provide more effective, targeted help
for people who face barriers to learning the English language
skills communities need.
Following the publication today of an equality impact assessment
of provision for English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)
training, which he ordered, Minister Hayes announced that BIS will
work in partnership with the Department for Communities and Local
Government (DCLG) on developing new forms of support for those who
need informal, community-based learning of English.
From August this year, national provision of full funding for
ESOL courses will be focussed on those actively seeking work on
Jobseekers Allowance and Employment Support Allowance (Work
Related Activity Group). As part of a broader move towards
rebalancing the investment in skills between Government, the
employer and the learner, other eligible learners or their
employers will be expected to make a contribution towards the
costs of their ESOL course.
Minister for Further Education, Skills and Lifelong Learning,
John Hayes said:
“By targeting public funding on those in greatest need, and
setting higher standards for providers, our reforms will make ESOL
provision work better for learners, employers, and taxpayers.
“We are fully funding ESOL provision for jobseekers to help them
to access work, but we will not use the public purse to support
free English language training for individuals who have come here
to take up work – companies that recruit abroad should take
responsibility for that.
“We recognise there is a broader purpose to learning English; it
can be crucial for integration and community cohesion. We believe
that through this collaboration with the Department for
Communities and Local Government we can reach those individuals
who need language skills to get on.”
Minister Hayes has asked the Association of Colleges to advise on
developing with providers an effective methodology for targeting
funds at settled communities in which language barriers inhibit
individual opportunity and community cohesion. Given the
respective work that Lord Boswell and Baroness Sharp are leading
on Adult Literacy and Colleges in Communities, the Minister has
requested that they are involved in this work.
Ministers will also devise means to measure the quality of ESOL
provision more effectively, with a new emphasis on progression to
further learning and employment. Minister Hayes is committed to
discussing measurements of quality with OFSTED.
Communities Minister Andrew Stunell said:
"We want to see a more integrated Britain and English
language skills are crucial, allowing us all to get on and play an
active part in the economic and social life of our communities.
"A good command of English broadens economic
opportunities and helps to promote integration. Without this
skill, there is a risk of social exclusion and people being denied
the opportunity to realise their full potential."
Key measures announced today include:
BIS will work in partnership with DCLG on developing new forms
of support for those who need informal, community-based learning
of English Reiterating the offer of fully funded ESOL training for
jobseekers to help them gain the language skills they need to get
into work. For further education colleges and training
organisations, a clearer remit to provide good quality English
Language provision that employers are willing to pay for.
Over the summer, BIS and the Department for Communities and Local
Government will work together to establish criteria for targeted
local projects that meet community needs.
The full report, published today, is at:
http://www.bis.gov.uk/equality-impact-assessments
Notes to editors:
As part of the Spending Review process the Government assessed
priorities for funding to ensure that public investment is focused
where its impact can be maximised i.e. those who would not
otherwise have access to training, and where the market failures
are strongest. This was identified as adults with poor levels of
literacy and numeracy, young adults without full level 2 or full
level 3 qualifications and adults actively seeking or preparing
for work.Investing in Skills for Sustainable Growth, published on
16 November 2010 set out the significant investment of £3.9
billion in 2011-12 in post-19 FE and Skills in England. Over the
Spending Review period we will support the expansion of Adult
Apprenticeships; full subsidy for basic literacy and numeracy
qualifications for adults and first full level 2 and first full
level 3 qualifications for young adults (19 up to 24). As part of
the Government agenda to support unemployed people into work full
Government subsidy will be payable for accredited units and full
qualifications for people in receipt of Jobseekers’ Allowance and
Employment Support Allowance (in the Work Related Activity Group)
depending on what they need to help them enter and stay in work.
The Government will continue to invest in training outside of
areas where full subsidy is available, but the costs will be
shared between the Government and the learner or employer. An
Equality Impact Assessment was published alongside Skills for
Sustainable Growth and Investing in Skills for Sustainable
Growth.Adults in receipt of benefits not conditional on seeking or
preparing for work who may have had automatic full fee remission
under the previous funding eligibility rules, will now be
co-funded (with costs shared between Government and the
individual) unless they qualify under other skills
entitlements.For ESOL this means:ESOL provision in the workplace
will no longer receive public funding on the basis that employers
should meet the costs.Unless in receipt of JSA or ESA (WRAG) ESOL
learners will be co-funded. 24% of ESOL enrolments in 2009/10 paid
the expected fee contribution in full.In January 2011 Minister
Hayes announced that he had insisted an equality impact assessment
of the impact of changes on ESOL would be carried out and
published before summer recess. This commitment was given in
Parliament.The assessment followed the Department’s equality
impact assessment process and has been tailored to reflect the
nature of further education and skills policy and its operating
procedures. We have drawn on two sources of published analytical
information – the Individualised Learner Record (ILR) and Labour
Force Survey. The ILR is the nationally-recognised source of data
on learners in further education in England. The assessment also
took account of the information and views offered by a wide range
of organisations with an interest, including the views expressed
further education representative bodies, learners, providers, and
other advocates such as MPs, with whom Minister Hayes has held a
number of meetings. In addition, an adjournment debate on 3 May
provided further information from Members.BIS's online
newsroom contains the latest press notices, speeches, as well as
video and images for download. It also features an up to date list
of BIS press office contacts. See http://www.bis.gov.uk/newsroom
for more information.
Contacts:
BIS Press Office
NDS.BIS@coi.gsi.gov.uk
Oliver Fry
oliver.fry@bis.gsi.gov.uk