Further education was "the neglected middle child" between schools and universities.The words of Sir Andrew Foster in the report commissioned by the government to look into the FE sector. The full report is here and here is the BBC report. Frankly I'm sure anyone who has worked in FE will suggest that Sir Andrew is following the theme of the week and stating the bleeding obvious - I hope they make this an Olympic event because it seems that our present leaders are able to find world beaters at every opportunity.
Tuesday, 15 November 2005
Foster review of FE.
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Don't even get me started on this one. The Cinderella of education it was always called in our management meetings.
But Cinderella went to the ball. Government policy seems to be that FE should hawk itself round like a cheap prostitute.
Cinderella only got to the ball thanks to a fairy godmother. We all know that's just fantasy. Although the government seem to think that private industry is full of fairies who can wave magic wands and cure all ills.
Yup - even in her pomp I don't think Maggie ever suggested a strategy based on the idea that if we starve FE of money private industry would step in and take up the slack.
Thing is, the department where I used to work was SET UP by and mainly funded by printing industry as they wanted their apprentices trained. Then they were squeezed by commercial forces and cut back and cut back until they couldn't fund anything but core business, or they went out of business forcing more and more burden on the few big companies left until only The Daily Mirror and Polestar were paying for it. There was no money for new equipment or chemicals, so the quality and relevance of the training fell, so less students came to us, so less income... vicious circle.
Still, I'm out of that one now. I have to send my reply slip for the 'old printers' Christmas dinner. I really feel sorry for these guys. Shafted by Murdoch and Maxwell etc. shafted by the college, shafted by the state.
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