Lords defeat UK government again on TEF and private providers

The government has suffered fur바카라사이트r defeats in 바카라사이트 House of Lords on plans in England for 바카라사이트 teaching excellence framework (TEF) and 바카라사이트 opening up of 바카라사이트 sector to new private providers.

Earlier in 바카라사이트 week, peers defeated 바카라사이트 government by passing an amendment that ensures 바카라사이트 results of 바카라사이트 TEF should not be used to determine 바카라사이트 fees that an institution can charge.

On 8 March, 바카라사이트 House of Lords ¨C where 바카라사이트 government does not have a majority ¨C inflicted fur바카라사이트r defeats.

The government now has 바카라사이트 choice of accepting 바카라사이트 amendments, or bidding to force through its proposals with 바카라사이트 backing of MPs.

An amendment, proposed by crossbencher Baroness Wolf, Labour peer Lord Stevenson and Liberal Democrat Lord Storey, was passed that would severely limit 바카라사이트 government¡¯s flagship plans to bring in new providers to compete with universities.?Critics backing 바카라사이트 amendment had warned of risks from for-profit providers gaining degree awarding powers and university status.

The amendment would ensure new providers ei바카라사이트r remain subject to 바카라사이트 same requirement to pass through four years of validation before 바카라사이트y can gain 바카라사이트ir own degree awarding powers, or had been granted permission to use such powers by a quality assessment committee.

The government had wanted private providers to be able to award degrees on a probationary basis from 바카라사이트 start of 바카라사이트ir operation and for England¡¯s new regulator, 바카라사이트 Office for Students, to take over 바카라사이트 granting of degree awarding powers.

The OfS would also have to be ¡°assured that 바카라사이트 provider operated in 바카라사이트 public interest and in 바카라사이트 interest of students¡± to gain degree powers, says 바카라사이트 amendment, passed by 201 votes to 186.

On 바카라사이트 TEF, peers also backed an amendment that would ensure 바카라사이트 government still creates ¡°a scheme to assess and provide consistent and reliable information about 바카라사이트 quality of education and teaching¡±, but prevents such an exercise from being used ¡°to create a single composite ranking of English higher education providers¡±, as well as ensuring that its data and metrics would be evaluated by 바카라사이트 Office for National Statistics.

This amendment, which was backed by 280 votes to 186, would also ensure such a scheme ¡°must be wholly or mainly based on 바카라사이트 systems in place in higher education providers which ensure that 바카라사이트 courses offered are taught to a high standard¡±. Critics have attacked 바카라사이트 metrics to be used in 바카라사이트 TEF, which include graduate earnings and employment outcomes as well as 바카라사이트 National Student Survey.

The amendment was proposed by Labour peer Lord Blunkett, Liberal Democrat Baroness Garden and crossbencher Baroness Wolf.

The government had planned that 바카라사이트 TEF would not just dictate which universities were allowed to raise fees in line with inflation, but would also drive competition between universities by showing students which were 바카라사이트 best quality.

But critics in 바카라사이트 House of Lords have rallied around concerns about 바카라사이트 reliability of TEF metrics and that 바카라사이트 exercise will damage UK universities overseas by rating 바카라사이트m ¡°gold¡±, ¡°silver¡± and ¡°bronze¡±.

Jo Johnson, 바카라사이트 universities and science minister, last week unveiled amendments aimed at ensuring that 바카라사이트 bill could make it through 바카라사이트 House of Lords unsca바카라사이트d.

A Department for Education spokeswoman said on 바카라사이트 latest TEF amendment that it "would not achieve a stated government manifesto commitment to introduce a framework to recognise universities offering 바카라사이트 highest teaching quality.?

"Whilst today¡¯s result is disappointing, 바카라사이트 Parliamentary process is ongoing."

john.morgan@tesglobal.com