Cull of BTECs pushed back to 2024

[noblegiraffe]

Zahawi announced today that the planned defunding of BTECs will be pushed back a year to allow more time to sort out T-levels.

However, is this a signal that it won't happen at all and is being kicked into the long grass?

"I am clear that T-levels and A-levels should be front and centre of the level 3 landscape,” Zahawi told MPs.

“But I am also convinced that we need other qualifications alongside them – many of which currently exist – that play a valuable role in supporting good outcomes for students.”

He added that it was “quite likely we will see many BTECs and other similar applied general style qualifications continuing to play an important role in 16 to 19 education, for the foreseeable future”.

This sounds promising.

schoolsweek.co.uk/zahawi-announces-slowing-down-of-btecs-cull/

Hooray :D

Good.

It is good. But what an awful mess. Schools and colleges have been panicking and scrabbling around for work experience to try to meet what was clearly an unworkable demand by the government.

Policy once again being decided without actually checking if it's feasible or sensible, followed by a u-turn.

What about the City & Guilds qualifications - they've been decimated to and are a great way into trades such as plumbing, pottery and pole dancing (I kid you not....)

DD's is a City & Guilds. Can't say I really understand the difference...

City and Guilds were also headed for the bin, I assume that has been paused too.

Very good news - those of us working in the uni sector are delighted.

The timing pretty much takes us to the likely date of the next election, so it's entirely possible it'll be shelved as this Gov can't decide what the next will do and there won't really be enough time now to get it through.

Why does our government continually feck up anything that isn't A levels?

We need to look to Germany, where stuff other than 'A level-> uni' is respected.

What a squandered opportunity.

Having recently had a better look at a wider range of BTEC qualifications than I was previously familiar with, I’ve been so impressed with the quality, range and depth of the specifications. They’re a hugely valuable part of FE for so many. Bonkers to even consider scrapping them.