Responding to the National Audit Office report on the financial
sustainability of colleges in England, Geoff Barton, General
Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said:
“This report tells us what we already know only too well – that
the government has failed colleges and their students through
years of underfunding.
“Only recently, the apprenticeships and skills minister told the
House of Commons that the Department for Education is supporting
40 colleges in financial difficulty and five have sought
emergency funding. This is the reality in a sector which has been
treated for too long by the government as a Cinderella service.
“It is to the great credit of colleges and staff that they
continue to do such a fantastic job for their students despite
these very difficult financial circumstances.
“They now face huge extra financial pressures because of costs
associated with the Covid crisis. This includes the loss of
commercial business income due to lockdown, as well as having to
put in place, extra costly safety measures needed for reopening.
“However, the government has so far refused to reimburse the
extra costs incurred as a result of the emergency situation, and
this is exacerbating an already desperate position.”
Ends
, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for
Apprenticeships and Skills, told the House of Commons on 7
September that the Department for Education is supporting 40
colleges in financial difficulty and five have sought emergency
funding. (Hansard, 7 September)
