Learning and earning inextricably linked says Minister

The strategic importance of links between the economic life of Northern Ireland and Further Education Colleges have been highlighted by Employment and Learning Minister, Carmel Hanna.

During her delivery of the Harbinson Lecture, to academics, business leaders, community representatives and local politicians attending the annual event at the Wellington Park Hotel, Mrs Hanna outlined the three main priorities of her future vision for the Further Education Sector. She said: “Further Education Colleges in Northern Ireland should be engines for economic development by continuing to deliver employability skills to the current and future workforce while engaging flexibly and dynamically with employers.

“I am fully supportive of the emphasis on the economic role of Further Education and I do not see any conflict with the social role of education. Indeed, what could promote social inclusion and economic development more than the provision of skills and competences to an individual enabling them to gain or improve employment prospects. Learning and earning, I would contend, are inextricably linked.

“Further Education Colleges should also actively develop and promote social inclusion through widening access to the courses provided. They should strive for continuous improvement, underpinning everything they do with a pervasive quality ethos.”

Emphasising the pivotal role that Further Education would have to play in two key initiatives being undertaken by her Department the Minister said: “The fact that a significant proportion of our adult population has only the lowest levels of competence in literacy and numeracy, clearly must have an impact on social inclusion, personal development, employability and the growth of Northern Ireland as an economy and community.

“Tackling this issue is perhaps the single most important task facing my Department. The Further Education Sector has a long tradition of providing education in this area, and our strategy calls on us to raise our game, not only in terms of the number of adults we engage, but also in the quality and rigour of the programmes we use. You are the main delivery agent of this challenge and I am confident that you will respond to it.”

Earlier the Minister was welcomed to the event by Professor Patrick Murphy, Director of the Belfast Institute for Further and Higher Education and Mr James O’Kane Chairperson of the Board of Governors.

(MB)