Govt Announce Cull Of Qualifications

The Department of Education has announced a cull of vocational qualifications that are equivalent to GCSEs.

The plan, announced by the Secretary of State for Education, Michael Gove said 'equivalent' qualifications were to be slashed from over 3,175 to just 125.

The announcement follows recommendations made in a report by Professor Alison Wolf last year. The Department said her report highlighted how current Performance Table systems created "perverse incentives" for some schools to put pupils on courses, which might boost their Performance Table positions – but are not "qualifications".

Education Secretary Michael Gove said: "The weaknesses in our current system were laid bare by Professor Wolf’s incisive and far-reaching review. The changes we are making will take time but will transform the lives of young people.

"For too long the system has been devalued by attempts to pretend that all qualifications are intrinsically the same. Young people have taken courses that have led nowhere."

Stephen Twigg, Labour's Shadow Education Secretary, said his party will support attempts to "maintain rigour" in the qualification system and that it is not right that some young people are told they can get a qualification, which won't be valued by universities, colleges or employers.

"However, we need to be careful not to throw the baby out with the bath water. As employers like JCB have said, the Government is undermining important subjects like the Engineering diploma.

"Practical and vocational skills are important to our economic success and the Government need to make sure they don't devalue them."

(DW)