The Committee for Employment and Learning welcomes the opportunity to respond to this consultation on the Report by the Post-Primary Review Body (Burns), October 2001. In responding to the consultation through the Committee for Education, we have focused entirely on the aspects within our remit. No one should argue with the proposition that we should treat education from the age of 11 through to either 18 or 21 and beyond as an integral whole. The creation of a Department of Education that is separate from the Department for Employment and Learning (DEL) has probably helped to provide greater focus in both areas. However, there is also now huge scope for matters arising that have a cross-departmental impact and the Burns Report on Post-Primary Education is one such example of this.

Indeed, of the twelve Guiding Principles that the Post Primary Review Body set out (pages 75-78), at least half of these principles bear directly on the policy and work of the Department for Employment and Learning. These inter-departmental principles, which have the support of the Committee for Employment and Learning, include;

• There should be recognition and support for the key role of teachers in the delivery of a high quality education system.

• Each young person should be equipped with the values and skills needed for working in the 21^st century.

• There should be parity of esteem for vocational and academic educational opportunities.

• Lifelong opportunities and choices for learning should be available to all.

• There should be equality of opportunity, access and excellence for all.

• The curriculum and assessment arrangements should take account of research on learning abilities.

Of the main recommendations coming out of the Burns Report the most significant for the Department for Employment and Learning is the proposed creation of local collaborative networks of schools in a system of collegiates. The proposed role of these new collegiates in curriculum development and post-16 arrangements would have major implications for the further education sector, training organisations and careers guidance.

During previous debate on the provision of education and training for the post-16 students, the Committee's deliberations were based on the following considerations:

• Where and how careers education can best be delivered;
• How do we widen the range of access to further and higher education?
• How can we promote educational equality of opportunity as opposed to equality of outcome?
• How can we encourage the study of subjects by 11 to 16-year olds or possibly through to 18 years, which will equip individuals for satisfying careers and will meet some of the likely labour skills shortages?

In structuring this response to the Burns Report on Post-Primary Education the Committee has grouped its concerns under the following four headings:

1. Competition between Schools and Further Education Colleges
2. Curriculum and Qualifications
3. Careers Education and Guidance
4. Links between Education and Business

1. Competition between Schools and Further Education Colleges

The proposal in the Burns Report of a creation of local collaborative networks of schools in a system of collegiates has substantial implications for the process of developing closer relationships between schools and further education colleges. It is undeniable that there is currently unhealthy competition for pupils between schools and between schools and further education colleges.

In fact, the Report suggests that a strong collegiate could bid for the resources to develop a more vocational targeted curriculum in priority areas such as engineering; construction; information and communication technology; hospitality and catering - courses, traditionally within the preserve of further education colleges and training organisations. The Report also states that these collegiates could provide opportunities for schools within their structure to develop and provide specialisms or 'create new settings for post-16 courses".

Of crucial significance, however, is that the Report concludes that it would be inappropriate to incorporate further education colleges within the membership of individual collegiates. How this conforms to the aspiration in the Report that there should be 'complementary roles' for collegiates, further education and higher education sectors to ensure a 'seamless progression' from school to another education/training provider is unclear.

The Report does recommend, however, that further education colleges, training organisations, employers and others would have membership on a Collegiate Liaison Council. The remit of this Council would be to ensure co-operation in the planning and provision of relevant and high quality vocational and occupational courses and careers education for all pupils. Even given the recommendation by the Post-Primary Review Body that this Council have statutory recognition within the collegiate structure, it is unclear at this stage to what degree this would lessen competition between schools and further education colleges. In any case, one sees a confusing and wasteful multiplication of educational fora.

Of key importance in this issue of the level of competition between schools and between schools and further education colleges concerns the principle of parity of esteem between vocational and academic education. The Committee fully supports the Department for Employment and Learning in raising the profile of, and changing attitudes to, further education, including vocational. This is of critical importance given that further education colleges are well placed to help meet the skills needs of the local economy.

The Committee supports the parity of esteem principle between academic and vocational education in any future plans for the provision of education and training. This also involves addressing the very real funding inequalities that currently exist between schools and further education colleges, with the latter at a significant disadvantage. This was highlighted in a recent press article in the Times Higher Educational Supplement (10 May 2002) in which the Association of Colleges claimed that funding inequality in Great Britain demonstrated:

"a 20 per cent funding gap between colleges and school sixth-forms, amounting to £1,000 per student."

In the Committee's Report on the Inquiry into Education and Training for Industry, a recommendation was made to:

Recommendation 15: Increase the overall student per capita funding to the further education sector, bearing in mind equality considerations between the different educational sectors. We welcome the recent financial support improvements for FE students. The current funding mechanism needs to be changed if it is to achieve its objective of delivering high-class vocational training, that is regarded as on a par with academic qualifications.

Given this principle, it is clear that funding inequalities between schools (sixth form colleges) and further education colleges needs to be addressed. Further education colleges are very seriously disadvantaged in the large amounts of the budget that they lose and cannot re-coup. In recent evidence to the Committee in relation to the publication of their report on Essential Skills for Living, a representative of the Civic Forum asked the question;

"If serious about adult education and literacy skills why are places like Belfast Institute of Further and Higher Education not reimbursed with concessionary rates that they give to schools?"

The damaging result of this intensive competition between schools and between schools and further education colleges is that both the needs of young people and the needs of the economy in general are not being properly met. The creation of these collegiates runs the very real risk of further exacerbating this competition between schools and further education colleges, particularly when it impacts on the provision of vocational education. For example, there seems little sense in schools choosing to specialise in a certain subject or field where there is a clear overlap with the objectives of a further education centre of excellence.

It is therefore imperative that the Departments for Employment and Learning and the Department of Education provide a clear policy on issues relating to integrated planning, funding and overall management of the provision of education and training for the post-16 age group, irrespective of the outcome of the Burns Report.

2. Curriculum and Qualifications

The Burns Report states that the future of education and training at all levels will be strongly influenced by the growing recognition of, and support for, the National Qualifications Framework and Curriculum 2000. With over 50% of young people remaining in school beyond the age of 16 and a further 41% studying full-time education at further education colleges or training organisations it is therefore essential to ensure that all young people have equality of opportunity and access to a full range of academic, vocational and occupational courses, at age sixteen and beyond.

The Committee is fully supportive of the principle to encourage more young people to take up vocational studies to meet the labour skills shortages of the economy. Again, in the Committee's Report on the Inquiry into Education and Training for Industry we recommended:

Recommendation 31: Facilitate an inter-departmental focus to ensure parity of esteem for vocational and educational qualifications.

More and more schools are encouraging work-related learning and this is welcomed by the Committee for Employment and Learning. Indeed, the Burns Report recommends that the proposed changes to the Key Stage 4 curriculum by the Council for Curriculum Examinations Assessment (CCEA) be adopted. These changes provide for greater flexibility in curriculum provision, encouraging closer partnership with further education colleges and training organisations, to create wider curriculum choice for pupils.

The Burns Report also recommends that the proposed changes to Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 3, proposed by the Council for Curriculum Examinations Assessment (CCEA), be adopted. The Report recommends that these changes would occur in phase 2 of the implementation of the overall proposals of the Burns Report. All these changes to the curriculum, however, impact on teacher training, requiring greater investment in the training and development of teachers to meet these new broader requirements of a more diverse curriculum. With responsibility for teacher training falling under the remit of the Department for Employment and Learning, this could have significant implications to the Department to meet the funding requirements of this investment within its current financial resources.

Clearly, there does need to be an integrated strategy agreed between both the Department of Education and the Department for Employment and Learning in ensuring a differentiated curriculum that is taught by suitably qualified teachers, providing opportunities for both academic and vocational study, along with branded qualifications that are internationally recognised by industry.

It is therefore essential that this whole debate on curriculum provision is widened to encompass those young people affected, that is 14-19 years olds, and to ensure much stronger links are developed between schools and further education colleges.

3. Careers Education and Guidance

An issue arising from the Report by the Post-Primary Review Body is the recognition of the importance of careers guidance. Indeed, careers guidance is of critical importance in influencing and determining the curricular choices of young people and in ultimately meeting the needs of both students and the local economy as a whole.

The Committee itself is strongly in favour of an independent careers advisory service as stated in our Report on the Inquiry into Education and Training for Industry;

Recommendation 36: The Department must give priority to the implementation of an enhanced independent, comprehensive and up-to-date, careers education and guidance service based on best practice and extensive use of Information and Communication Technology.

The Burns Report recommends that the new collegiates should take the lead on providing careers advice and guidance within schools. The provision of careers guidance was a role previously exercised by schools in co-operation with DEL and other bodies. Thus the introduction of a collegial system could have significant implications for the work of further education colleges, training organisations and the Department in this respect.

With this in mind, the Committee has been eagerly awaiting for some time the recommendations arising from the Review of Careers Education and Guidance under the chairmanship of Professor Fulton. It is essential that any recommendations or suggestion arising from this Review should be implemented in line with the recommendations on careers guidance from the Burns Report. Again we see the need for a strong working partnership between the Department of Education and the Department for Employment and Learning. However, the Committee strongly feels that the Department for Employment and Learning must immediately enhance the current system and not wait for a final decision to be taken on the Burns Report.

4. Links between Business and Education

During the consultation process of the Burns Report into Post-Primary Education, a key issue that arose was the need for stronger and better links between education and industry. Critically, any such links need to be integrated and developed into the education system. This issue was highlighted in our recommendations arising from the Committee's Report on the Inquiry into Education and Training for Industry;

Recommendation 17: Closer links with local industry, industrial development organisations, including increased staff participation in the Lecturers into Industry imitative.

Recommendation 37: Greater work related experiences for all teachers, students and lecturers for substantive periods based on the Northern Ireland Business and Education Partnership (NIBEP) model.

Recommendation 38: Increase funding to NIBEP in order that it can further its work in developing links between business and education.

The Burns Report recommends that collegiates, through their collegiate liaison councils should work with NIBEP and others to establish relevant and appropriate links between schools, local business, industry and employers.

This proposal has a clear implication on the role on further education colleges within this area and the fear is that a 'turf war' could develop between collegiates and further education colleges in developing links with the industry sector. This would of course be further exacerbated with the Burns recommendation enhancing the role of the collegiates in the field of careers guidance placing them again in direct competition, for example, with further education colleges.

Conclusions:

• The recommendations arising from the Burns Report, in particular the proposal to create new collegiates, could have significant inter-departmental implications (perhaps generating tensions) for both the Department of Education and the Department for Employment and Learning.

• The role of further education colleges within these proposed new structural arrangements would be of critical importance. The sidelining or exclusion of further education colleges, as the proposed collegiate structure would seem to imply, within any new system could have a major negative impact on both the plans to develop a more qualifications based curriculum and in numbers progressing to further education.

• The main areas of impact coming out of the Burns Report proposals that affect the Department for Employment and Learning include; teacher training to meet new curriculum demands, careers advice and guidance, and a review of post-16 provision in further education and training.

• The Burns Report proposals would have financial implications for the Department for Employment and Learning;

1. Transfer of resources from the Department's Career and Guidance Service to the proposed collegiates.
2. Allocation of funding to invest in adapting the nature of teacher training to meet the requirements of a more broad based curriculum.

• The Committee for Employment and Learning fully supports the recommendation of the Burns Report that there should be close co-operation between the Department of Education and the Department for Employment and Learning in drawing up a coherent strategy for the development and funding of arrangements for post-16 education and training. Unfortunately, the contents of the Report suggest that liaison has been limited.

• The Committee, however, does welcome the fact that officials from the Department for Employment and Learning have met with their colleagues in the Department of Education to address the potential implications of the Burns Report for DEL and the wider interests of schools, further education colleges, training organisations and employers.