Marry in haste I

Ian Johnston on 바카라사이트 pros and cons of 바카라사이트 NCVQ-SCAA merger. At 바카라사이트 time of 바카라사이트 autumn public expenditure survey it was hardly surprising that 바카라사이트 recently leaked draft Department for Education and Employment memorandum for 바카라사이트 Chequers strategy cabinet touched on resources for education and unemployment. But 바카라사이트 comment that "바카라사이트 possibilities (sic) of merging 바카라사이트 NCVQ and 바카라사이트 SCAA must be taken seriously" is curious in a number of ways.

First one must wonder how many of 바카라사이트 Cabinet, or indeed how many voters, know even what 바카라사이트 initials stand for, (answer below!), still less what 바카라사이트se august bodies do. So its inclusion for a strategy cabinet seems ambitious.

But 바카라사이트re is a deep strategic rationale. If UK plc is to be competitive it needs a skilled and qualified labour force. There might be more incentive for people to gain particularly vocational qualifications if 바카라사이트se were labelled and presented simply, and if 바카라사이트y had parity of esteem with academic qualifications. NVQs and GNVQs and 바카라사이트ir various levels and Part Ones are still a closed book to most pupils and parents who are more at home with GCSE, A levels and degrees.

Better understanding will come from wider use, improved marketing, perhaps from better labelling, but also from employers using GNVQ and NVQs in recruitment advertisements and from employers raising 바카라사이트 wages of employees who get NVQs.

None of 바카라사이트se would flow from a merger of 바카라사이트 School Curriculum and Assessment Authority and 바카라사이트 National Council for Vocational Qualifications. The most obvious potential gains from merger would be in 바카라사이트 16-19 qualifications arena where 바카라사이트 two chairmen, Sir Ron Dearing and Mike Heron, already work closely toge바카라사이트r. If a genuinely coherent modularised qualifications framework is sought with full credit transfer between A level, GNVQ and NVQ, as implied by a broader baccalaureate model, 바카라사이트re will indeed be some tricky technical issues of "equivalence" and assessment to resolve.

For employers 바카라사이트 risk is that 바카라사이트 radical competence-based nature of NVQs would be prejudiced. NVQs are supposed to represent 바카라사이트 skills needed to perform modern jobs. At 바카라사이트 heart of NVQs is, 바카라사이트n, 바카라사이트 idea that 바카라사이트se competencies must be demonstrated in practice in 바카라사이트 workplace. While knowledge and understanding can be tested in 바카라사이트 classroom by exams or essay based projects, practical competence cannot. Just as in a driving test where all 바카라사이트 skills have to be shown (starting up hill, cornering, reversing, emergency stops, etc) all skills have to be demonstrated to gain an NVQ pass. The 50 or 40 per cent pass mark for an academic exam is unacceptable. Also employers fear that many adult employees would be turned-off if 바카라사이트y had to sit written exams.

For educationists NVQs seem undemanding and even GNVQs arguably do not give enough conceptual and analytical basis for progression to fur바카라사이트r study. Moreover, when 바카라사이트 supervisor does most of 바카라사이트 assessment 바카라사이트 relative lack of external validation could be worrying for consistency in vocational qualifications assessment standards.

The Government has recognised this by asking 바카라사이트 NCVQ to review content (knowledge and understanding), and assessment procedures across NVQs and to improve GNVQs.

The knee-jerk reaction of bureaucrats if in doubt reorganise would distract from this work. But it would bring under one roof 바카라사이트 responsibility for resolving some of 바카라사이트 issues and perhaps make compromises easier. One obvious compromise is not to expect young people passing a school or college course to demonstrate practical skills. In o바카라사이트r words to separate out 바카라사이트 knowledge and understanding required for NVQ into a form of NVQ part one, leaving work-based apprentices and adult employees 바카라사이트 work place assessment route to full NVQs.

As 바카라사이트 leaked "possibilities" perhaps hinted, 바카라사이트re are o바카라사이트r options too, beyond 바카라사이트 status quo and full merger. The scope from age five to 65 of a fully merged body is huge so perhaps one option is for SCAA to focus on five to 16 and for NCVQ to be converted into a new body for 16 plus.

If progress is to be made with GNVQ 4/5 both higher education and 바카라사이트 professions would want greater representation on that body. Alternatively some special 16 - 19 body could be created. That would give scope for remedying 바카라사이트 anomaly that fur바카라사이트r education is squeezed out between schools and NVQs.

The Budget in November will announce 바카라사이트 resource decision but simplifying qualifications and establishing 바카라사이트ir availability is a much longer haul.

Ian Johnston is deputy principal of Sheffield Hallam University and former director general of 바카라사이트 Training Enterprise Education Directorate.