Secretary of State sees success of EMAs

Secretary of State Alan Johnson
MP

Earlier this summer, the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, Alan Johnson, MP, who represents Hull West and Hessle, joined an LSC National Council meeting to talk about the work of the LSC.

He congratulated the LSC on its achievements in increasing the number of young people and adults who are now involved in learning. He also highlighted the importance of the role the LSC played in helping to shape the Further Education (FE) White Paper.

He gave a clear signal that FE and Skills were now at the top of the Government's agenda and outlined his key challenges for the future. He went on to emphasise the LSC's role in ensuring a diverse range of quality FE and how significant it is to continue improving the quality and consistency of education provision.

From experience of the Educational Maintenance Allowance, (EMA) in his own constituency, the Secretary of State highlighted how successful it has been and said he felt that EMAs are certainly helping to make a difference to learners, contributing to a 2% increase in 16-18 year olds staying on in education.

Mr Johnson acknowledged that there are still big challenges facing the LSC, including the need to change the longstanding cultural perception on vocational education in this country and being ready to respond to the recommendations and implications of the Leitch Review, due out in November, which looks at what skills profile the UK should aim to achieve by 2020 in order to support productivity, economic growth as well as social objectives over the longer-term.