Non-degree Qualifications

HC Deb 16 November 1992 vol 214 cc40-1W

Mr. Dafis

To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make it his policy to set a target date for tripling the numbers achieving technical non-degree qualifications in the United Kingdom.

Mr. Forman

No. However, the Government have endorsed the national education and training targets for80 per cent. of young people to have achieved qualifications at NVQ level 2, or the broad equivalent of four GCSEs at grades A to C, by 1997; 50 per cent. of young people to have achieved qualifications at NVQ level 3, or the broad equivalent of two A levels, by the year 2000; 50 per cent. of the work force to be qualified to NVQ level 3, or equivalent, by the year 2000.

These targets imply a very considerable increase in the numbers achieving vocational qualifications.

My right hon. Friend has also asked the Higher Education Funding Council for England to provide incentives to promote two-year full-time diploma qualifications in higher education, in particular those with a vocational emphasis.