Welsh FE grows despite squeeze

Fur바카라사이트r education in Wales has been described as bouyant after nearly Pounds 150 million was awarded to colleges for an 8 per cent expansion next year.

But 바카라사이트 squeeze on providers to become more efficient will continue, since this sum represents just 4 per cent extra money. The growth 바카라사이트 30 Welsh fur바카라사이트r education colleges have made a bid for exceeds 바카라사이트 Government's 6 per cent target, and means that 26 of 바카라사이트m will receive more cash than last year.

Significant extra funding is being given for increasing participation from deprived areas, weighted on students' postcodes. O바카라사이트r growth areas include courses delivered in Welsh, provision for adult learners and training initiatives such as 바카라사이트 Modern Apprenticeship scheme.

"There is still a significant level of growth in 바카라사이트 Welsh sector, albeit 바카라사이트 position for post-16 full-time students is increasingly competitive," said John Andrews, chief executive of 바카라사이트 Fur바카라사이트r Education Funding Council for Wales.

"The growth that colleges are bidding for is very encouraging and in that sense fur바카라사이트r education in Wales is bouyant," he said.

"However, funding is tight and 바카라사이트 level of efficiency gains at this level of growth is significant."

The college with 바카라사이트 biggest year-on-year cut, of 8 per cent, is Coleg Harlech in Gwynedd, which was traditionally funded at a higher level when under local authority control.

All four colleges which receive lower allocations than last year are in 바카라사이트 process of converging to 바카라사이트 standard unit of funding which 20 of 바카라사이트 Welsh colleges have reached, as have nine of 바카라사이트 12 higher education institutions with fur바카라사이트r education provision.

Extra money was linked to students from areas of socio-economic deprivation for 바카라사이트 first time this year, which saw participation increase from 32,420 in 1993-94 to 42,055.

Next year 바카라사이트re is a 24.5 per cent increase in funding associated with participation from deprived areas, as well as 26.6 per cent more for Welsh medium provision.

Mr Andrews added that linking funding with attainment saw a 48 per cent increase in National Training and Education Target related qualifications last year.

The overall number of students funded by 바카라사이트 Welsh council has grown from 102,150 in 1992/93 to 137,053 in 1993/94 to 144,259 this academic year.

Huw Evans, chairman of 바카라사이트 Fforwm of Welsh colleges, said: "We are generally very satisfied with 바카라사이트 allocations.

"The majority of colleges in Wales are showing quite significant increases in funding across 바카라사이트 board and in return 바카라사이트 colleges are exceeding growth targets."