The Post Compulsory Education & Training is having a conference in Cardiff on November 30, and they are bringing new ideas to education.
The recent Hazelkorn Review and the Welsh Government’s proposal to establish the Tertiary Education and Research Commission for Wales has stimulated the interest in engaging education, learners and businesses in dialogue around the hopes and dreams for this new educational body for Cardiff.
During the conference, there will be a breakfast with the Welsh Government, where they will engage in answering a lot of people’s concerns on the education body in Wales. Some of the concerns that will be brought up is funding to the Commission: should it be dependent upon the production of a strategic plan approved by Welsh Ministers? Right now, the strategic plan is to be consulted upon and approved by key stakeholders in advance of being presented to Welsh Government. The plan and subsequent funding is then reviewed formally by the relevant committee of the National Assembly for Wales.
Another issue that a lot of educators want to bring to the Welsh Government at the conference is their concern of the arrangements that protects learners who are studying at the conference providers in Wales and how to strengthen them. Of course, the Post Compulsory Education is already taking this seriously. The Further Education, Work-Based Learning and Adult and Community Learning Sector is sufficiently mature to collaborate in the event of institution/provider failure to ensure that students can be successfully accommodated to complete their studies elsewhere.
Claire Roberts, the External Affairs Director of College Wales, is quoted in saying, “This conference presents us with an excellent opportunity for school and college leaders to shape the future of post-16 provision. It aims be an exciting, rewarding, and interesting day that will attract stakeholders from all around Wales.”