18/11/10
Colleges Braced for Budget Challenges
ColegauCymru / CollegesWales notes that the Education Minister has made every effort to support learners in Wales in these uncertain times but that nonetheless the draft budget is a challenging one for further education.
Colleges have been making preparations in the expectation that they would be facing a tough budget for next year. Efficiency gains and plans to transform the post-16 education and training landscape have been underway for the last two years. Colleges have been looking outside the box to find changes at a strategic level through forming and developing partnerships, sharing services, and promoting mergers to deliver benefits to learners of all ages post 14.
Individual colleges will not know their allocations until early next year, but the draft budget indicates that core funding to further education will drop by more than 2%. At the same time, however, the Welsh Assembly Government intends to invest in skills, and the Pathways to Apprenticeship scheme, introduced last year to help apprentices receive full-time college-based training where employer-led apprenticeships have dried up, will continue. The Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) – an incentive for 16-18 year olds to remain in education or training - is also set to continue in Wales, unlike in England.
Chief Executive of ColegauCymru / CollegesWales, John Graystone, said: “Colleges have been bracing themselves for a tough budget. There are certainly major challenges to tackle: a significant reduction in core funding to further education colleges and reduced capital funding in particular will be a real test for colleges.
“ColegauCymru welcomes the priority given by the Minister to skills. Colleges will play their full part in developing young people and adults with the skills and positive attitudes necessary to succeed in life and who will be ready and waiting to take up jobs as the economic climate improves in Wales. The continuation of both the Pathways to Apprenticeship scheme and the Education Maintenance Allowance will benefit many learners.
“Colleges will do their best to maintain excellent services to learners and will seek to work closely with the Welsh Assembly Government before the final budget is agreed.”
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Contact: Sylvia Davies on 029 2052 8384 or 07968 771913.
Notes to editors:
- ColegauCymru / CollegesWales is the new name for fforwm. It is a national educational charity that represents all 21 further education (FE) colleges and institutions in Wales. Its mission is to raise the profile of further education with key decision-makers to improve opportunities for learners in Wales. For further information about ColegauCymru / CollegesWales, and the colleges it represents, visit www.colegaucymru.ac.uk or www.collegeswales.ac.uk
- The draft Assembly budget was published on 17 November. It is available from http://wales.gov.uk/about/budget/draftbudget2010/?lang=en