Creation of single funding agency is a good move says ASCL

Education Secretary Justine Greening has today (Tuesday 28 March) announced the creation of a single funding agency for education and skills (excluding higher education), bringing together the Education Funding Agency and Skills Funding Agency.

Malcolm Trobe, Interim General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: “We welcome the move to merge the Education Funding Agency (EFA) and the Skills Funding Agency (SFA) into a single body.

“This is a very understandable step, particularly for colleges as they were previously having to link with the two separate agencies for similar aspects of their work. Hopefully, this will lead to a single, joined up approach to funding and to aspects of regulation.

“The agencies have been working closely under the single Chief Executive, Peter Lauener, for some time and this is a logical move. We also note that Peter Lauener has signalled his retirement at the end of the summer. 

“We would very much like to thank Peter for his sterling service, working for the benefit of young people in a number of government agencies from the Manpower Services Commission, through to the Young People’s Learning Agency, and now bringing together the EFA and SFA.”