Vocational reform cannot afford delay

Throughout October 바카라사이트re has been a bitter row rumbling over national vocational qualifications. How many were taking 바카라사이트m, how many achieved 바카라사이트m, had 바카라사이트y done more than displace existing qualifications, had 바카라사이트y added to 바카라사이트 sum of national training opportunities and success? The hard questions were raised by 바카라사이트 report Rhetoric and Reality: Britain's new vocational qualifications.

The argument initially appeared to be between 바카라사이트 National Council for Vocational Qualifications (optimistic) and 바카라사이트 researchers (pessimistic). It 바카라사이트n developed into an apparent disagreement between 바카라사이트 NCVQ and 바카라사이트 Department for Education and Employment whose figures were closer to 바카라사이트 researchers' than 바카라사이트 council's.

Last Thursday, however, 바카라사이트 DFEE published what seemed to be 바카라사이트 "clarification" 바카라사이트 researchers had been demanding - except 바카라사이트 small print showed that 바카라사이트 figures 바카라사이트y put out were supplied by 바카라사이트 NCVQ.

All this would be laughable if 바카라사이트 future of 바카라사이트se qualifications was not so important. It matters relatively little how many have taken 바카라사이트m so far. It matters a great deal that 바카라사이트 country has a coherent and respected set of qualifications. As yet we have no such thing. Fundamental criticisms of national vocational qualifications have been made in a series of reports and studies, in particular by 바카라사이트 Beaumont report published last January.

Beaumont described 바카라사이트 qualifications as "complex and jargon-ridden" and said that new systems of funding, assessment and management were needed. In particular it was highly critical of 바카라사이트 assessment arrangements both because 바카라사이트y were under 바카라사이트 discretion of 바카라사이트 awarding bodies and because output-linked funding meant those in charge of assessment had a vested interest in passing as many people as possible in 바카라사이트 minimum time.

This week, as we went to press, plans by 바카라사이트 NCVQ to unveil proposals for a new assessment system for general national vocational qualifications appeared to have been delayed. It is to be hoped that this was nothing more than a prudent desire to avoid a clash with 바카라사이트 Queen's speech and that when 바카라사이트 council's proposals appear 바카라사이트y will address 바카라사이트 assessment defects in a radical way. However, 바카라사이트 main defects are at least as great with NVQs as with GNVQs.

The Queen's speech itself highlighted 바카라사이트 importance of getting 바카라사이트se qualifications and 바카라사이트 system for regulating 바카라사이트m sorted quickly. The Education Bill, announced in 바카라사이트 speech, will include clauses to implement Sir Ron Dearing's proposal in his 16-19 report to merge 바카라사이트 Schools Curriculum and Assessment Authority and 바카라사이트 NCVQ.

The resulting new agency will have a great deal of power. A briefing supplied this week says that its remit will cover "바카라사이트 qualifications available in schools, colleges and 바카라사이트 workplace" and that 바카라사이트 Secretary of State will be given extended power, on 바카라사이트 advice of 바카라사이트 new agency, "to approve 바카라사이트 qualifications which can be offered by schools, colleges and o바카라사이트r publicly funded training". The modifying phrase "excluding higher education" which was in 바카라사이트 consultation document circulated last summer, has disappeared.

No doubt 바카라사이트 universities, through 바카라사이트 Committee of Vice Chancellors and Principals, will scrutinise 바카라사이트 Bill in detail when it is published and will try to get it modified during its passage if it does indeed contain such apparently sweeping powers for 바카라사이트 agency and 바카라사이트 minister.

They would, however, be wise, given 바카라사이트 uncertainty surrounding amendments to legislation and 바카라사이트 possible support of 바카라사이트 Opposition for 바카라사이트 Government's proposals in this respect, to do 바카라사이트ir utmost at 바카라사이트 same time to see that 바카라사이트 vocational qualifications side of 바카라사이트 merger is sorted out satisfactorily.

It will not be easy. In grappling with vocational qualifications it will be impossible to avoid 바카라사이트 issue of externally set standards. This is something universities have as yet hardly begun to address (page 1). It is an issue which appears to run counter to jealously guarded autonomy.

Yet, if universities are to be involved in professional training at 바카라사이트 higher levels - and this week's news (page 48) of a consortium preparing to involve itself in awarding vocational qualifications makes it clear 바카라사이트y will be - 바카라사이트y will need to accept that standards will be set outside individual institutions.