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New Challenges, New Chances

TUC submission to the government consultation

The TUC welcomes the opportunity to comment on the government's consultation on the next steps in implementing the Further Education Reform Programme. We welcome the minister's emphasis in his foreword to the document on the crucial role that lifelong learning and skills plays in supporting the wider well being of society and key economic priorities. The consultation document also, quite rightly, emphasises the importance of partnership between colleges, training providers, employers, trade unions and other stakeholders.

However, the TUC is seriously concerned that aspects of the reform programme risk destabilising the FE sector, in particular the rapid scaling back of the role of centralised government and the expectation that local institutions will become consistently responsive and effective engines of the new economy.

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Briefing document (200 words) issued 13 Oct 2011