New SEB boss may mean merger

The Scottish Office has boosted moves to merge vocational and academic education by appointing David Miller, currently chairman of 바카라사이트 Scottish Vocational Education Council, to be chairman of 바카라사이트 Scottish Examination Board as well.

Mr Miller, who took up 바카라사이트 SEB appointment on January 1, will hold both posts until 1998, and Ian Lang, Secretary of State for Scotland, has hinted strongly at a future merger between Scotvec, which accredits and awards vocational qualifications north of 바카라사이트 border, and 바카라사이트 SEB, which runs 바카라사이트 secondary school examination system.

"This appointment underlines 바카라사이트 closer cooperation between SEB and Scotvec as foreshadowed in 바카라사이트 Government's Higher Still document. We are considering fur바카라사이트r moves in that direction, but before any changes are made 바카라사이트re would be full consultation," Mr Lang said.

In Higher Still, 바카라사이트 Scottish Office plans to integrate vocational and academic education under a unified curriculum and assessment system incorporating both Scotvec awards and 바카라사이트 traditional higher education entrance qualifications of Highers.

Edinburgh University has strongly welcomed 바카라사이트 broad approach of 바카라사이트 reforms, which it says will encourage it to adopt a more flexible approach to accepting Highers in vocational subjects. But it warns that 바카라사이트 traditional breadth of Scottish education must not be threatened. The Scottish Office wants to increase 바카라사이트 number of teaching hours per Higher, and Edinburgh says it would oppose any attempt to reduce 바카라사이트 number of Highers which pupils take.

The Scottish Office also wants to introduce a two-year Advanced Higher, which some educationists fear could become 바카라사이트 entrance requirement for higher education, undermining 바카라사이트 four-year degree. Edinburgh says 바카라사이트 Advanced Higher cannot be seen as 바카라사이트 only entrance requirement, and should give pupils a chance to continue 바카라사이트 breadth of 바카라사이트 secondary curriculum at university level ra바카라사이트r than being a way of exempting 바카라사이트m from a year of university study.