HC Deb 25 March 2004 vol 419 cc953-4W
Mr. Beggs

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what(a) research was; undertaken and (b) evidence was collected during the development of the recent further education strategy proposals, with particular regard to (i) the balance between full-time and part-time lecturing staff, (ii) the number of students taking vocational courses at further education colleges and (iii) the proportion of the 16 to 21 age cohort taking vocational courses at further education colleges. [162704]

Jane Kennedy

The publication of the Draft Strategy for further education is the result of a wide range of consultations and research exercises conducted since autumn 2002. In addition to a public consultation on the future role of further education and an analysis of course provision, enrolments and performance by the 16 local further education colleges, new research was commissioned by DEL to supplement existing information on the work of the colleges. This new research addressed: the qualifications of further education staff; the qualifications of 16–19 year olds entering full-time education; the contribution of further education to economic development; and, an evaluation of the current funding mechanism The findings of this considerable body of information were augmented further by a number of study visits aimed at evaluating best practice in vocational education.

The proposals set out in the draft strategy are now subject to a second period of public consultation that closes on 30 June 2004. Much of the research is already available on the DEL website and a summary document on this underlying evidence will be published shortly.

With regard to specific areas highlighted, the data collected by the Department

shows:

  1. (i) a total of 1,815 full-time and 3,113 part-time lecturing staff in respect of the 2001–02 academic year (source: college returns);
  2. (ii) the total number of students taking vocational courses across all colleges in the 2001–02 academic year was 121,930 (Source: Further Education Statistical Records—FESR);
  3. (iii) the total number of students aged 16–21, studying vocational courses across the N. Ireland further education sector was 48,792 in 2001–02. This represented approximately 33 per cent. of the 16–21 year-old mid year population estimate for 2001 (Source: 2001 census).