STATUS OF EDUCATION QUANGOS-SELECTED LIST-CABINET OFFICE

STATUS OF EDUCATION QUANGOS-SELECTED  LIST-CABINET OFFICE

Comment

We know already that on the education front  QCDA, BECTA and the GTC are being culled. The Youth Justice Board is on the way out too probably because its management has been weak, particularly in controlling its costs (its ICT team was led by an Executive on over £300,000 a year, with ten  staff  earning  £100,000)  and it has found it hard to demonstrate that it improves outcomes.

The Quango  list was leaked by the Daily Telegraph two weeks ago but has now been formally released  (14 October). One quango , the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust, was not on the list, apparently  because it is  ’a charity’ so  er…its not classed as a quango . However there are quangos on the list that are Charities-like the British Council.So work that one out if you can. If it looks like a quango, acts like one and is subsidised by the taxpayer-then guess what-it probably is one.

The British Council seems to have survived the Review although there are no grounds for its complacency. Aid Charities are upset that some of the DFIDs supposedly ‘ring-fenced’ Budget has  been siphoned off to support British Council projects  previously funded by the FCO.  Meaning there is less for them.  What these projects are and whether or not they deliver value for money has not been made public. So much for transparency.Education exporters who receive little or no support from the British Council , though its supposed to support them as part of its remit, find that the Council competes with them for contracts abroad ,using its subsidised status to  gain competitive advantage so  they  are up in arms too. The Government  seems unconcerned that the Councils activities are restricting the growth of the education market and is now  redirecting funds away from aid charities who know the most cost effective ways to deliver aid and have ,rather obviously , a better record of delivering aid than has the British Council. Pressure will  continue  to mount on the BC and Ministers until these issues are addressed head on. This has to be work in progress and it is encouraging that the Government is looking to review Quangos every three years.  But one has to wonder just how rigorous this Review has been  . There is a long way to go before many of these organisations reach an appropriate  level of transparency and accountability that is implied in Ministers rhetoric and which most  of  the public expect from  organisations which  undertake tasks on behalf of the Government using  hard pressed   taxpayers money.

For the record here is whats happening to other education related quangos:

Student Loans Company

Under consideration - Proposals on the future of the Student Loan Company will be made in the White Paper on the future strategy for higher education to be published by the end of the year

UK Commission for Employment and Skills

Under consideration - Complete review by end of year of core functions and the most appropriate organisational model to deliver a simplified skills landscape across the UK

Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service

Under Consideration - Being considered by the Family Justice Review Panel as part of a full review of the family justice system, reporting in 2011

Children’s Workforce Development Council

Under Consideration - Options being considered with an announcement being made before the end of 2010

General Teaching Council for England

No longer an NDPB - Abolish body as part of the Government’s wider plans to streamline and improve arrangements for tackling underperforming teachers, as previously announced

Independent Advisory Group on Teenage Pregnancy

No longer an NDPB - Abolish once the existing remit for the group comes to an end in December 2010. Arrangements to be made for access to expert advice to Government as required

National College for Leadership of Schools and Children’s Services

Under Consideration - Options being considered with an announcement being made before the end of 2010

Ofqual

Retain - Retain on grounds of performing a technical function which requires impartiality. Introduce legislation to strengthen governance arrangements

Ofsted

Retain - Retain on grounds of performing a technical function which requires impartiality. Reform inspection functions to increase proportionality and reduce burdens

Partnerships for Schools

Under Consideration - Subject to the overarching review of Department for Education’s capital expenditure, to be completed in December 2010

Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency

No longer an NDPB – Abolish body and transfer some functions (including key activities such as National Curriculum Tests) to the Department for Education, as previously announced

School Food Trust

No longer an NDPB - Abolish NDPB status, but continue as a charity with the potential to become a community interest company

School Support Staff Negotiating Body

Under Consideration - Subject to further discussions with employer and union representatives

School Teachers’ Review Body

Retain - Retain on grounds of performing a function which requires political impartiality

Teachers TV Board of Governors No longer an NDPB - Abolish body and functions

The Office of the Children’s Commissioner

Under Consideration - Subject to a formal review to be finalised by the end of November 2010

Training and Development Agency for Schools

Under Consideration - Options being considered with an announcement being made before the end of 2010

Young People’s Learning Agency

Under Consideration - Subject to education structural reforms

British Council

Retain - Retain on grounds of impartiality

Youth Justice Board for England and Wales

No longer an NDPB – Abolish as part of wider criminal justice reforms

Cabinet Office List