The Government
has launched a consultation setting out proposals that will
promote high quality teaching and learning for adults, further
free colleges to respond more effectively to the needs of their
local communities and strengthen the skills system by securing a
fairer balance of investment between learners, employers and
taxpayers.
The plans outlined in New Challenges, New Chances,
published today, represent the next phase of the Government’s
plans to implement radical reform of adult learning and skills
provision in England. They build on the strong achievements of the
past year, with record numbers of apprenticeships and a raft of
freedoms for training providers.
The consultation covers measures to:
Provide greater freedoms and flexibilities and further reduce
the burden of bureaucracy on further education and skills
providers; Improve the quality of teaching and learning for
adults; Strengthen further education and skills providers’
capacity to offer training at higher education level; Review and
improve basic literacy and numeracy provision for adults;Refocus
Government support for informal adult and community learning;
andIntroduce loans from the 2013/14 academic year providing access
to advanced and higher level courses; Develop the further
education landscape and shape of the sector;
Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, Vince
Cable, said:
“We believe that the further education and skills sector is at
the heart of our economic and educational policies. With better
informed, more empowered learners and providers freed from petty
bureaucracy, post-school adult learning will take its rightful
place at the heart of our communities.”
Minister for Further Education, Skills and Lifelong Learning,
John Hayes, said:
“Our proposals describe the next steps towards a more confident,
vibrant further education sector, ready to meet the challenges and
seize the chances that a rebalanced, high skill economy will present.
“This Government knows that skills change lives, nourish social
renewal and feed economic growth.”
The consultation will close on Friday 21 October 2011.
The proposals give more detail on how key parts of the
Government’s strategy for further education and skills, published
last November, will be implemented.
Notes to editors
1. The consultation documents are available online at
www.bis.gov.uk/newchallenges
2. The Strategies Skills for Sustainable Growth and
Investing in Skills for Sustainable Growth were
published on 16 November 2010 and are available at:
http://skillsfundingagency.bis.gov.uk/news/pressreleases/skillsforsustainablegrowthinvestinginskillsforsustainablegrowth.htm
3. 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
Katie Kilgallen
Phone: 020 7215 1861
katie.kilgallen@bis.gsi.gov.uk