Nelson and Colne College is supporting a national week of activity designed to celebrate Further Education Colleges and fight for fair funding for the sector.
Colleges Week takes place from Monday 15 October to Friday 19 October 2018 and is part of the ‘Love Our Colleges’ campaign. This campaign is calling on Government to give colleges better funding and fair pay to ensure they can continue to fulfil a crucial role in the education system and provide the high quality skills provision our country needs.
Nelson and Colne College Principal Amanda Melton will be joining a national lobby of Parliament on Wednesday 17 October, and the college will also be marking the week through an array of activity, including engaging with local employers and stakeholders, and celebrating its many success stories on social media.
Amanda said: “From 2009 to 2019 college funding has been cut by around 30%. It is vitally important to me to join the national lobby during Colleges Week to be part of a united voice fighting for better funding and fair pay within further education.
“As Principal of Nelson and Colne College I see directly the phenomenal impact we and other colleges up and down the country are having on students, their families, communities and local and regional economies, and it is so important that this vital work is now recognised and better funded.
“Additional funding would allow colleges to recruit and retain specialist teachers and support staff, effectively implement technical education reforms, maintain academic standards and support all students to develop incredibly important literacy and numeracy skills.”
Whether it’s through top-class technical education, basic skills or lifelong learning, colleges help people of all ages and backgrounds to make the most of their talents and ambitions. Rooted in local communities, they are crucial in driving social mobility and providing the skills to boost local and regional economies.
However, there is currently a reduction in education funding once a student turns 16 – whether they are in a school sixth form or a college. ‘Love Our Colleges’ is calling on government to increase 16-19 funding by 5% a year for 5 years. It is also asking Department for Education to provide exceptional funding, ring-fenced for teacher pay.
David Hughes, Chief Executive, Association of Colleges, said: “Every single day colleges like Nelson and Colne College provide a world class education and transform the lives of millions of people.
Colleges Week is an opportunity to celebrate the brilliant things that go on and a chance to showcase the brilliant staff that make it possible. It is simple, if we want a world-class education system then we need to properly invest in it.”
You can get involved in the campaign by:
- Signing the pledge at collegesweek.co.uk
- Signing the petition to increase college funding to sustainable levels by visiting: https://petitionmap.unboxedconsulting.com/?petition=229744
- Sharing Nelson and Colne College’s posts on social media
- Providing Nelson and Colne College with a testimonial about why the college is so important to you and the community. You can email this to marketing@nelsongroup.ac.uk
For more information please visit www.collegesweek.co.uk
