Employers say Drop Academic Diplomas
June 23rd, 2008
Britain’s biggest business organisation is calling on the Government to scrap plans for academic diplomas to replace A-levels.
In an embarrassing blow to Gordon Brown, the Confederation of British Industry says the new-style qualifications risk “undermining the integrity” of traditional academic subjects.
Richard Lambert, the CBI director-general, says the diplomas would be an unnecessary “distraction” and could lead to fewer children studying science and mathematics to a high standard.
The plans may create a “fractured, two-tier education system”, with private schools opting for GCSEs, A-levels and the rigorous International Baccalaureate, while state schools used diplomas.
The comments represent one of the most serious attacks yet on the Government’s high-profile education reform.
About 20,000 teenagers will begin studying for the diploma in September. They will combine work-based training with classroom study.
They will be offered initially in five practical subjects – health, media, information communications, technology, engineering and construction – with plans for another 12, including “academic” diplomas in traditional subjects such as humanities, languages and science.
But the CBI, which represents 240,000 companies, wants the Government to “think again about its over-ambitious plans”.
In a submission to the Government today, it backs vocational courses in subjects such as hospitality and engineering, which it says will give young people “skills for working in their chosen career”.
But it says GCSEs and A-levels should be retained in academic areas.
Mr Lambert said: “There has been genuine enthusiasm for the sector-specific, vocational diplomas as firms recognise that they have the potential to add real value to students who are keen to learn in-depth about a particular sector and gain vital employability skills.
“However, employers understand and value GCSEs and A-levels and firmly believe these should remain a cornerstone of the education system. Introducing a range of science, humanities or languages diplomas runs the risk of undermining the integrity of these traditional academic subjects.
“And they could also be a distraction from the need to raise the numbers of young people studying science and maths”.
In the CBI’s submission, the organisation says it fears that academic diplomas will “not have any greater value to young people or to employers” than GCSEs or A-levels.
There are also concerns that the “overloaded education system” cannot cope with the reforms because of a lack of resources for schools, a shortage of specialist teachers in maths and science and poor careers advice services.
The CBI urges the Government to “retain and improve” the GCSE and A-level system, making courses more rigorous.
The Conservatives seized on the latest findings, calling on Ed Balls, the Schools Secretary, to drop academic diplomas.
“We warned months ago that academic diplomas risked damaging both vocational qualifications and undermining GCSEs and A-levels” said Michael Gove, the education spokesman.
Jim Knight, the schools minister, praised the flexibility of diplomas. He said: “I believe that the unique mixture of theory and applied knowledge the diploma offers will help boost the number of young people studying science and languages by bringing these subjects to life and giving students the skills employers want”.
The Daily Telegraph, Monday 23 June 2008
