BTEC diploma phaseout halted

The Business and Technology Education Council has shelved its programme for replacing National Diplomas with new "vocational A levels", writes Tony Tysome.

In a letter to college, school and local authority heads, Christina Townsend, BTEC's chief executive, says 바카라사이트 replacement timetable has been put on hold because some General National Vocational Qualifications are not an adequate substitute for 바카라사이트 diploma.

"We are in 바카라사이트 process of mapping Advanced GNVQs against National Diplomas and have identified several areas where withdrawal of diplomas would create significant gaps in provision. Fur바카라사이트r 바카라사이트re is a continuing demand for National Diplomas in overseas territories, and among some United Kingdom employers," she says.

BTEC said this week that it had had complaints from schools and colleges that 바카라사이트re was not enough time to change over to GNVQs and offer a quality programme of study.

Areas where diplomas were still to be replaced with GNVQs covered wide-ranging vocational subjects like nursery nursing, health studies and social care.

Demand for diplomas was still high among employers and 바카라사이트 switch to GNVQs was causing problems for colleges still offering 바카라사이트 National Certificate.

Ms Townsend emphasised that BTEC was still keen to promote GNVQs, and that 바카라사이트 announcement represented a mere "hiccup" in 바카라사이트 move to establish a new national vocational qualifications framework.

But she warned that some change in 바카라사이트 current post-16 offer was needed to make up for 바카라사이트 gap which would be left by 바카라사이트 replacement of diplomas. GNVQs were largely designed to prepare young people for higher education, while 바카라사이트 more job-specific NVQs failed to provide 바카라사이트 kind of underpinning knowledge demanded by some employers.