Further Education has often been discribed as the ‘Cinderella of Education’, and it is still sitting in the dirty fireplace, with no sign of a fairy godmother, ball or glass slipper. It remains terribly unfunded compared both with schools and with the more glamorous ‘Higher Education’. As well as colleges being strapped for cash, students have also suffered, particularly with the withdrawal of maintenance grants in England.
The march was a part of the ‘Love Our Colleges’ campaign week of action and was followed by a rally which I didn’t photograph, as well as a lobby of Parliament.
FE colleges have long been a vital part of our education system, and many were founded because of local needs and have very strong community links. Years ago many were a matter of fierce local pride. Some of these gradually took on more and more higher education courses and have transitioned to become universities, but FE remains vital for training at lower levels and in particular for 16-19 year olds. As well as providing the kind of academic courses available in school sixth forms they also offer a wide range of more techinical and vocational courses.
As the campaign states:
“Further education colleges are an essential part of England’s education system. Whether it’s through top-class technical education, basic skills or lifelong learning, colleges help people of all ages and backgrounds to make the most of their talents and ambitions. Rooted in local communities, they are crucial in driving social mobility and providing the skills to boost local and regional economies.”
The future of FE colleges is under threat as funding has been cut by 30% since 2009, meaning young students get fewer hours of teaching support and a huge reduction in learning opportunites for adults. The value of staff pay has falling by mnore than a quarter and they now get £7000 a year less on average than school teachers.
More pictures on My London Diary: March for Further Education
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My London Diary : London Photos : Hull : River Lea/Lee Valley : London’s Industrial Heritage
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