The political parties have been clear that savings need to be made, and whoever wins the election will need to make some tough choices. So what does this mean for further education?
All parties have made no major policy statements regarding further education, here is what has been said so far…
Conservatives
Create a clearer pathway from vocational routes into further and higher education. A Conservative Government will transform skills and training, with:a massive expansion in the provision of real apprenticeships, creating 100,000 additional apprenticeships and training places every year, and making it easier for companies to run apprenticeships; More community learning to improve skills and employability, including 100,000 college places and 100,000 work pairings for out-of-work youngsters, and a Community Learning Fund to help older workers develop new skills. Supply-side reform to set further education free by cutting excessive red tape, scrapping unnecessary quangos and creating a streamlined funding model where government funding follows the learner. Better careers advice, including a trained careers adviser in every secondary school and college and a new all-age careers service.
Labour
Committed to ensuring that by 2015 we have raised the age at which young people will leave compulsory training or education to 18. Guaranteeing every young person who wants it the right to an offer of a training place, an apprenticeship or a place in education until they are 18 – and for everybody under 25 we will guarantee funding until they have achieved a level 3, or A level equivalent qualification; a free vote on Votes at 16.
Liberal Democrats
Create a General Diploma made up of GCSEs, A-Levels and vocational qualifications; create an Education Standards Authority to monitor school standards independent of government; increase the apprenticeship numbers, and places on university and vocational higher education courses; scrap university tuition fees over six years.
You can read about the parties manifesto commitments here.
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