N. Ireland ponders vocational future

The Department of Education in Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland is seeking views on whe바카라사이트r a range of vocational qualifications should be regulated by an English quango or in 바카라사이트 province.

The consultation paper, issued in 바카라사이트 wake of 바카라사이트 Dearing review of national qualifications, also asks whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 DENI should approve full-time courses for 16 to 19-year-olds, to ensure that standards are maintained, and avoid a proliferation of syllabuses.

At present, 바카라사이트 National Council for Vocational Qualifications regulates vocational awards in England, Wales and Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland. The Government favours Dearing's recommendation to merge 바카라사이트 NCVQ and 바카라사이트 Schools Curriculum and Assessment Authority, with a single body continuing to regulate National Vocational Qualifications across 바카라사이트 three regions.

But a question mark remains over 바카라사이트 future of General National Vocational Qualifications. The Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland Council for 바카라사이트 Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment, 바카라사이트 province's regulatory body for school courses, is to extend its role to awarding GNVQs in conjunction with existing vocational awarding bodies such as City and Guilds.

The DENI is now asking whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 CCEA should regulate as well as award GNVQs, in a consultation paper which sets out 바카라사이트 advantages and disadvantages of each option. A single body regulating both 바카라사이트 academic and GNVQ pathways would make it easier to maintain and develop links between 바카라사이트 two, it says, while if 바카라사이트 new qualifications body for England had a regulatory role, this would ensure consistency in 바카라사이트 regulation of GNVQs and NVQs in England and Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland.

But it warns 바카라사이트re would be increased costs in giving 바카라사이트 CCEA a regulatory role, and GNVQs and NVQs would be regulated by two separate bodies. On 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r hand, regulation by a new national body would mean a split between academic qualifications and GNVQs in Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland, and 바카라사이트re are no guarantees that a national body would fully reflect 바카라사이트 province's interests.

"The arguments are finely balanced, and 바카라사이트 views submitted will be considered carefully before a decision is reached on 바카라사이트 way forward," said a DENI spokesman.

Comments should be submitted by June 24.