Local Assembly Members for the Swansea area have recently had a very full six page critique of Welsh Government further education policy from the Principal of Swansea College.
He is understandably very unhappy at the prospect of having to cut about £1 million from his budget in this financial year due to underfunding from the Government. One of the casualties of these cuts is the special needs centre for over 19 year olds based in Stadium House in Landore.
It is worth quoting extensively from this letter for the way that it demolishes the hypocrisy of the Welsh Government on this issue.
Jeff Gunningham starts off by explaining the way that the funding methodology put in place by the government favours 16-19 provision over 19 plus activity. He says that the college’s overall target for student activity is split between the two categories. If the college does not hit its target for 16 to 19 then its funding is reduced in subsequent years, even if they hit their targets for 19+ activity.
There is therefore clear discrimination against learners over 19 in favour of those aged 16-19 years old. This is contrary to a number of Welsh Government agendas including employer engagement and workforce development, adult community learning and basic skills needs of adults, all key to growing our economy.
The Principal then goes on to criticise recent comments by the First Minister in a National Assembly Plenary session. Rhodri Morgan referred to some colleges being better prepared for harmonisation than others as one of the reasons why they have gained funding whilst others have lost out. Mr. Gunningham says that this is not so. The main reason why some colleges have done well is because of their ability to grow 16 to 19 learners.
Swansea College prides itself on being a general further education college being able to promote all government agendas – employer engagement, workforce development, Adult Community Learning, Basic Skills needs of adults – as well as delivering both academic and vocational training to 16 to 19 year olds.
However, in the Swansea area there is extensive 6th form school provision together with Gorseinon College which teaches predominately 16 to 19 year olds. In this environment there is little room to grow. In fact in 2007/08, both 6th form schools and Gorseinon College grew their 16 to 19 activity and with demographic trends as they are, it is not surprising that we actually felt the effects of this growth and did not hit our 16 to 19 target. However, we recognised our responsibilities as an FE provider and we provided education and training to post-19 learners, over and above our target. This is why more than half of the College’s activity is post-19.
Whilst we knew there was a bias in the funding methodology towards 16 to 18, until now we have never been told that 19 plus provision is not ‘core’ and not a ‘high priority’. On the 19th May 2009, the First Minister said in the National Assembly:
“Secondly some colleges found themselves in a difficult position because they did a lot of 19-plus provision, whereas we have tended to tell the colleges that they need to concentrate heavily on their core function for their core funding. Their core function is provision for 16 to 19 year olds, upon which we have tended to concentrate core funding. What they do post-19 will not have such a high priority.”
Therefore, the funding methodology as it stands encourages us, and other colleges, to disband its original beliefs in providing “a second chance for learners” and instead go head to head in competition with schools. Obviously this “better prepared for the future”.
The Principal concludes that if the current funding methodology continues as it is we will see more and more reductions in post 19 provision, with the consequential loss of jobs and opportunities for learners. He says that despite the First Minister’s assertions Colleges do strategically plan:
We have been informed to assume:
Under these assumptions, with a standstill value in our funding allocation and a 2.5% increase in the unit rate, then the level of activity (number of units) will fall by 2.5%. Furthermore, our salary costs will increas by 2.5% for cost of living pay award together with the cost of increments, which amount to around 1.5% for our college. So we will see our costs rising by 4%. Therefore, no change in income and increased costs, will result in a downward spiral if we do nothing. So in order to maintain financial viability we will need to make efficiency savings of 4% per annum. Efficiency savings in a college means job losses.
He concludes: Not only will this mean reduced opportunities for those over the age of 19, further education in Wales will not be an attractive or secure sector to work in. We will see a migration of talent to other sectors or to further education in England where they are actually increasing investment as opposed to cutting back.
It is a sorry state that Labour and Plaid Cymru have brought our Learning Country too.
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