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Free books scheme will continue


READING AND LITERACY The head of Booktrust, the charity which runs the children’s book-gifting programmes Bookstart, Booktime and Booked Up, has welcomed an apparent U-turn from the government on plans to axe the schemes. The charity was told just before Christmas that it would lose its £13 million of funding from April this year.


Apprenticeships bill receives


second reading APPRENTICESHIPS A Parliamentary bill to make the award of large public contracts conditional on the successful contractor demonstrating a commitment to providing skills training and apprenticeship places receives its second reading next month. The Apprenticeships and Skills (Public


Procurement Contracts) Bill, introduced by Labour MP Catherine McKinnell (pictured above), seeks to strengthen an existing voluntary code, on promoting skills through public procurement, drawn up by the Office of Government Commerce (OGC), and involves no additional public spending.


The guidance, published by the OGC in April 2009, is meant to encourage government departments to address skills and apprenticeship issues through their procurement policies. This bill aims to build on those guidelines by ensuring that organisations help to develop skills through these large-scale public contracts. Presenting the bill to the Commons, Ms McKinnell said: ‘What I am proposing is a small legislative change that would make a big difference to the lives of millions, offering training and high-quality careers. ‘The aim of the bill is to introduce a requirement upon successful bidders for high-value public contracts to demonstrate a firm commitment to skills, training and apprenticeships.’


The bill, which was introduced in September last year under the ‘Ten Minute Rule’, has attracted the support of both the TUC and the Federation of Small Businesses, alongside NIACE, whose members endorsed its principles at a meeting last year. The bill has its second reading on 11 February, during National Apprenticeships Week. Read Catherine McKinnnell on pages 16-17


But following a campaign by authors including Ian McEwan, Philip Pullman and poet laureate Carol Ann Duffy, the Department for Education has announced it is in talks with Booktrust to carry on funding book-gifting schemes beyond April. Booktrust Chief Executive Viv Bird said: ‘We have been overwhelmed by the huge and


spontaneous show of support from parents, library staff, health visitors, teachers, authors and many others who have lent their voices to our cause.


‘Each and every one of them has played a vital role in keeping the reading for pleasure agenda alive over the past week or so.’ A joint statement issued by the charity and


the Department for Education has confirmed that the government ‘will continue to fund Booktrust book-gifting programmes in the future’.


The charity and ministers will also work with publishers on a new funding package ‘to ensure that we can make every possible saving in developing an enhanced programme,’ the statement said.


The government has announced more details of a new university scholarships scheme for the children of servicemen and women killed on active duty. In England, funding of £8,200 per year will be available from 2011 for further education or university courses. The value of the scholarships will be reviewed when tuition fees in England rise from 2012. Scholarship amounts are yet to be released for Scotland and Wales.


Eligibility for the scheme will apply to the children of servicemen and women killed on active military service since 1990.


The government also confirmed that it will continue to help fund an existing programme which supports service leavers to undertake a first further or higher education qualification, and will provide funding to help enhance the scheme. In the future eligible servicemen and women will be able to apply for support after they have served a minimum of four years. Those medically discharged will not be subject to a minimum service requirement, and entitlement may be transferred to a partner or spouse in certain circumstances.


Students should be able to gain extra marks towards their degrees from experience gained in the workplace, according to recruitment guru and Dragon’s Den star James Caan. ‘I have found over the years that graduates can fill three pages with details of their dissertations yet tell prospective employers nothing about their practical experience,’ Mr Caan said. ‘How does the employer know whether they have the discipline to turn up for work every day? Whether they can take on responsibility? Or whether they are prepared to knuckle down to a task?’ Modern employers needed to know more about prospective employees than simple proof of academic ability, he said. ‘Universities should do more to help students make the connection with businesses. Some universities do more than others … which inevitably means that there are students who miss out on opportunities like work placements because they don’t know how to find them.’


“


QUOTE UNQUOTE I will work with every


person of goodwill to ensure … we have the best system of educational advice, information and support in place, designed to benefit all potential students and to ensure that disadvantaged young people increasingly gain access to further and higher education


Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader Simon Hughes on being appointed the government’s Advocate for Access to Education


” JANUARY 2011 ADULTS LEARNING 5


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