Axed quango in sweeping reforms of tertiary education across Wales
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been recommended in one of the last acts of the education quango Elwa.
The recommendations to follow more than a year of discussion with local
interest groups and a public consultation lasting two months in the
pilot "pathfinder" areas.
Elwa says that reorganisation of sixth form education in the areas is
necessary because of falling pupil numbers and the need to broaden
access in post-16 education.
It favours the creation of tertiary colleges in some areas, with shared
resources for sixth-form pupils in others.
Elwa wants to see:
A "community learning consortium" in the Dyfi Valley bringing together
all post-11 secondary, A-level, vocational, community learning and
adult learning provision, together with wider community services. Much
of this education and community service network would be located at one
integrated community learning centre. Other learning providers and
services in the Dyfi Valley area would also be linked in.
The creation of a tertiary college campus at Merthyr Tydfil that would
offer an unprecedented range of learning options to 16-19 year olds.
This would replace existing sixth forms and full-time vocational
provision at the Merthyr Tydfil College. The campus would offer
qualifications at all levels and across all types of provision. It
would be run by a management team, involving all key educational
stakeholders in the area.
The creation of a new post-16 learning federation in Rhondda Cynon Taf
that would include five existing schools, local training providers and
the local further education college. There would be a formal federal
management structure focusing on joint planning and funding procedures,
a pooling of resources, common admission arrangements, common
time-tabling and joint marketing and branding.
A new tertiary system covering sixth form, full-time further education
and work-based learning in Blaenau Gwent. It is intended this new
combined provision would be located at the planned new Learning Campus
at Ebbw Vale and would operate from 2009/10 onwards.
It would replace existing post-16 full-time college programmes, sixth
forms and the Blaenau Gwent Resource Centre which offers vocational and
work based learning programmes.
Elwa's National Council declined to recommend any of the options for
change put forward under the Pembrokeshire Pathfinder, covering the
Haverfordwest area.
Instead it has recommended that the Minister institute a year-long
review of education provision covering all of Pembrokeshire.
Some of the recommendations have met with controversy in some of the
pilot areas.
In Merthyr Tydfil - where a review of sixth form education has been on
going since 2001 - there has been widespread opposition to the plans
for a tertiary college with teachers, pupils and parents protesting at
consultation meetings.
Sheila Drury, Elwa's executive chairwoman, said, "We believe these
recommended changes will bring major new opportunities to learners in
the areas concerned.
"A central consideration for the National Council has been the needs of
learners and their ability to choose high quality learning programmes
that best suit their needs.
"The National Council is also acting in way that will safeguard the
best value for public investment, both now and in the future."
Meanwhile Education Minister Jane Davidson has launched a consultation
on the delegation of the power to make proposals for the reorganisation
of 16 to 19 provision to local authorities.
Ms Davidson said, "The key aim of what we are proposing is to put in
place a mechanism that will enable local authorities to act on behalf
of the Welsh Assembly Government and collaborate with local
stakeholders in making proposals for the best form of provision in
their area."