Anne Murdoch, Senior Adviser in College Leadership at the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on a report from the Education Select Committee, which calls for investment in the further education and skills sector.
"Any hope of achieving economic growth without a strong FE and skills sector is pure fantasy. Despite this, sixth forms and colleges have been underfunded and undervalued for years, with funding per student still below the level it was in 2010. A significant number of colleges are in financial difficulty, while being staffed by teachers earning less than their school counterparts.
“The Education Committee is right to acknowledge the fact that the sector has been overlooked by successive governments, despite an acceptance of the growing importance of vocational and technical education. The Committee has correctly highlighted the disparity in pay between school and college teachers and establishing a new pay review body would be one way of fixing this.
“We are also very pleased that the Committee understands the need to retain Applied General Qualifications (AGQs), such as BTECs, alongside A-levels and T-levels. This will ensure students have a range of pathways to work and further study, with the flexibility to choose the best route for them.
“If the government is serious about growing skills and strengthening the economy, it must carefully consider the recommendations in this report and make investing in the further education sector an immediate priority.”