AQW 18607/17-22
Ms Kellie Armstrong
Alliance Party
Strangford
Tabled Date: 10/05/2021
Answered On Date: 19/05/2021
Priority Written: No
Question:
To ask the Minister for the Economy to confirm what actions she is taking to provide increased university and further education places for students leaving post primary schools in 2021, to ensure young people, whose education has been disrupted by COVID-19, have the opportunity to progress in education.
Answer:
Higher Education As noted in my Economic Recovery Action Plan, increases to higher education undergraduate places were introduced in 2020-21 and these places will be funded for two further academic years. FE Capital Projects My Department is continuing its investment in the Further Education (FE) estate to deliver modern, efficient, fit for purpose campuses that are welcoming, comfortable, healthy, neutral and vibrant places to learn and innovate. In 2020, two major capital projects to build new campuses were completed in Banbridge and Armagh with a further new campus, in Enniskillen, being completed last month. These three buildings represent an investment of approximately £80million and, although they do not increase the capacity of the estate, it is hoped that sector wide marketing and promotional campaigns undertaken over the coming months will encourage an increased number of students leaving post primary schools in 2021 to avail of the state of the art, accessible facilities provided. In addition these new campuses will offer significantly improved student facilities and support infrastructure, providing a greatly enhanced curriculum offering utilising the latest technology and equipment. Learner Numbers Over recent years FE colleges have faced a number of factors including a “demographic dip” in 16-19 year olds, improving school exam performance and most recently the impact of the Covid 19 pandemic, which have combined to reduce learner numbers in colleges by 14.5% from 82,818 in 2015/16 to 70,847. The resulting availability of capacity within new state of the art accommodation equipped to industry standards means that colleges are particularly well placed to accommodate any students who have found their education disrupted by the recent pandemic and to provide them with the knowledge and skills they need to progress to employment or higher education. Marketing the FE Sector In order to raise public awareness of these opportunities available through Further Education, DfE has now commissioned the six colleges to work together to create a collective identity for the sector and to develop an annual campaign which will focus specifically on promoting the unique product offering for full time FE and HE provision.
|