Bad Day for Adult Learning

13 December 2005

Commenting on the Government’s announcement that OFSTED and the Adult Learning Inspectorate (ALI) would be merged into a new inspectorate, Miles Templeman, Director General of the IoD, said:

“The IoD welcomed the Hampton Review’s proposals to rationalise the number of inspectorates in order to enhance public sector efficiency. However, the IoD has consistently supported retaining the ALI as a separate inspectorate because of its successful contribution to improving the quality of adult learning and training. This merger is an unnecessary change. The Government seems to have completely ignored the views of employers. The operational benefits were unconvincing and the financial savings underwhelming. “

He added:

“The planned merger could jeopardise the improvements that have been achieved in work-based training provision. There is a danger that the merged inspectorate will inevitably concentrate on children and schools at the expense of adult training. A recent survey of IoD members showed that 20% were prepared to pay the ALI to inspect their provision of training. Employers could be less inclined to pay the new merged inspectorate for its services because it will probably be perceived to be an inspectorate for education, not work-based or adult learning.”

Commenting further Mr Templeman, said:

“The process is almost inevitably going to be disruptive. The organisations involved in the merger will inexorably focus their attention on the internal structural changes affecting them, rather than on employers, training providers and learners. The dissipation of focus could also damage the Government’s efforts to tackle continuing underachievement in English and mathematics in primary and secondary schools.”