Responding to the report of the House of Commons Public Accounts
Committee on the financial sustainability of colleges, Geoff
Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and
College Leaders, said:
“This report lays bare the mismatch between the government’s warm
words about the importance of further education and its abject
failure to support the financial health of colleges.
“Colleges do a fantastic job in providing the skills training the
government regards as an economic and educational priority,
alongside vital academic qualifications, for many young people
and adults.
“However, the rate of funding per learner has been woefully
inadequate for many years and this has resulted in the financial
fragility that is highlighted by the Public Accounts Committee.
“It is galling that the government seems to be incapable of
taking even the relatively modest step of lifting the burden of
VAT payments from colleges as is the case in schools.
“And it is astonishing to learn from this report that the
Department for Education believes that the Treasury does not see
this issue as a priority.
“The government needs to join up the policy dots so that its
public pronouncements about the importance of further education
and skills are supported by sufficient funding.
“Warm words don’t pay the bills. It needs to put its money where
its mouth is.”
