Fás reform could mean more courses by private companies

MORE courses offered by private companies and less funding for hobby courses could form part of the overhaul of further education and training in the replacement of Fás.

They are among issues on which Training and Skills Minister Ciarán Cannon is seeking the views of stakeholders in the sector while legislation is being finalised to set up the Solas agency.

Announced in July by Education Minister Ruairi Quinn, it will take over the education and training role of Fás.

However, Solas will also oversee the role of the 16 Local Education and Training Boards (LETBs) which will replace the 33 city and county VECs under legislation also to be published shortly.

Mr Cannon is chairing the implementation body that will draw up an action plan for Solas, but it has first issued a consultation document that sets out the kind of changes it considers worth examining.

The group includes representatives of the Department of Education, the Department of Social Protection, Fás and the Irish Vocational Education Association, which is an umbrella body for the VECs.

Their discussion paper points to the fact that Fás and VEC students receive over two thirds of further education and training (FET) awards.

“Of particular importance from a funding and administration perspective is the part that private providers, whether they are for-profit or not-for-profit, will play in delivering FET in Ireland,” the document says.

“There may need to be scope to involve other providers so that short-term or immediate or unforecasted needs can be met.”

It cites the example of the €29.5 million labour market activation fund, under which more than 10,000 unemployed people have completed government-funded courses up to degree level.

Although high numbers have gone on to jobs or further study, an assessment of the scheme found many private providers kept poor records of the progress of the students after completion but had not been obliged to track them.

The document also suggests placing further emphasis on meeting the needs of those who need to improve their skills, particularly the unemployed.

“Currently, through the VECs and Fás, we provide for the delivery of a wide range of courses, from unaccredited hobby and pastime courses to highly specialised animation and medical devices courses. This includes a range of adult and community education courses which cater for the literacy, numeracy and ICT needs of adults.

“We need to ensure that firstly, the courses we fund meet the individual needs of learners, whether they are core and generic skills courses, or specialised and technical courses. And secondly, that the courses we fund lead to awards in areas of skills needs or where there are employment needs,” the document says.

There is also to be an emphasis on improved information about potential learners’ work and education history, as well as better monitoring of how students fare afterwards to help assess the success and relevance of courses.