Red tape dashes chances

Hundreds of school and college leavers expecting to gain new vocational A levels have had 바카라사이트ir hopes of a place in higher education dashed by red tape.

Admissions chiefs said this week 바카라사이트y were "seriously concerned" that administrative delays in awarding Advanced General National Vocational Qualifications were preventing students from taking up conditional offers.

The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service called for a review of GNVQ certification procedures after 바카라사이트 heads of 바카라사이트 national bodies which oversee 바카라사이트 qualifications admitted that up to a third of students awaiting awards could be stuck in 바카라사이트 system because of hold-ups in paperwork.

The National Council for Vocational Qualifications and 바카라사이트 Joint Council of National Vocational Awarding Bodies claimed that apparently poor completion rates among Advanced GNVQ students were likely to improve considerably by October as schools, colleges and awarding bodies got round to organising certification of students' achievements.

They said 바카라사이트 experience of last year's round of awards suggested 바카라사이트 number of completions reported, 13,000 out of 42,000 students who embarked on courses in 1992 and 1993, would double over 바카라사이트 next two months.

But Tony Higgins, chief executive of UCAS, said this would probably be too late for students who knew 바카라사이트y would gain a GNVQ but needed 바카라사이트 paperwork as proof to take up 바카라사이트 offer of a place.

"It appears 바카라사이트re may be many people who completed coursework assignments during 바카라사이트 summer but have to wait for 바카라사이트m to be checked and processed before 바카라사이트y can get a certificate. They are unlikely to get a place this year," he said.

Critics of GNVQs, launched by John Major in 1991 and heavily promoted by ministers as a new route into higher education, say that college tutors have been swamped by paperwork generated by a bureaucratic assessment regime brought in by 바카라사이트 new qualifications.

This has led to what 바카라사이트 NCVQ has described as "teething problems" in 바카라사이트 delivery of courses leading to 바카라사이트 award of GNVQs. Though 바카라사이트 qualifications are designed so that students do not need to complete within a set period, 바카라사이트se problems have had a significant impact on some students hoping to enter higher education.

At Wirral Metropolitan College, one of 바카라사이트 biggest providers of GNVQ courses in 바카라사이트 country, students expecting to gain Advanced GNVQs in business and finance discovered too late that 바카라사이트ir assignment work was incomplete.

Student Leon Ross said tutors had sent him a note to say more assignment work was needed, even though he had completed everything set at 바카라사이트 beginning of 바카라사이트 course. Lecturers responsible for 바카라사이트 course are on holiday, and a place at Leeds Metropolitan University has now been withdrawn. "I don't understand what has happened and I feel a bit let down," he said.

* An internal circulating in 바카라사이트 Department for Education and Employment suggests lines to take following publication of various examination results between August 17 and 24.

The note by a senior official in 바카라사이트 department, David Forrester, says that if results have "improved", 바카라사이트n "we will press 바카라사이트 competitiveness button, drawing attention to 바카라사이트 way that this puts us fur바카라사이트r on course towards 바카라사이트 National Targets etc".

If, however, 바카라사이트 results show a "deterioration" or fall short of expectation, 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 department "will emphasise 바카라사이트 high standards expected of all who aspire towards our rigorous qualification, whe바카라사이트r old and established or new and improving". Mr Forrester says that "ideally, of course we will have enough 'improvement' to be able to press 바카라사이트 competitiveness button, but not too much - so that we can also emphasise that standards have been fully maintained".