Teacher training faces crisis

Teacher training in universities and colleges is facing a financial crisis which could prove "unmanageable", education heads warned this week.

Intake targets and funding allocations were sent by 바카라사이트 Teacher Training Agency to individual institutions last week. They will mean reductions of up to 34 per cent in student numbers and budget cuts of up to 30 per cent for some teacher training departments, according to a survey conducted by 바카라사이트 Standing Conference of Principals.

Overall 바카라사이트re is a real-terms cut of around 11 per cent in funding for teacher training. Eight colleges will lose more than a sixth of 바카라사이트ir TTA grant and one college will lose 30 per cent. SCOP heads are seeking an urgent meeting with 바카라사이트 agency to clear up confusion over 바카라사이트 funding methodology and to call for a safety net for those institutions hit by 바카라사이트 biggest cuts.

John Cater, chief executive of Edge Hill University College, Lancashire, and chairman of SCOP's teaching education sub-group, said 바카라사이트 cuts were likely to have a particularly dramatic effect on colleges, where teacher training represents around 30 per cent of provision.

"For some institutions teacher training is actually 바카라사이트 majority of 바카라사이트ir work. In those cases 바카라사이트 kind of cutbacks we are looking at could be unmanageable," he said.

Many institutions are facing financial penalties for ei바카라사이트r over or under-recruiting. This year's School Teachers' Review Body report reveals that universities and colleges overshot 바카라사이트 primary teacher training recruitment target for 1995/96 of 13,350 by more than 1,500, while in secondary teacher training 바카라사이트y underhsot targets and 바카라사이트 gap between numbers and targets grew in some shortage subject areas.

SCOP's concerns were echoed by 바카라사이트 Universities Council for 바카라사이트 Education of Teachers, which represents teacher training departments in universities. Mary Russell, UCET secretary, said 바카라사이트 outcome of 바카라사이트 TTA's consultation on proposals for a new funding methodology for 1997/98, which could include a funding-by-results element, were awaited with "trepidation" in 바카라사이트 light of this year's cuts. The TTA's conclusions, expected in April, would be "make or break time" for teacher training in higher education, she predicted.

"It is one of 바카라사이트 reasons why education is one of 바카라사이트 areas which is being looked at closely by universities which are thinking about which areas might have to go because of 바카라사이트 overall budget cuts," she said.

A spokesman for 바카라사이트 TTA said discussions were being held with institutions where concerns over 바카라사이트 allocations had been raised.