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Several task forces have been set up to help form an education policy for the Department for Education and Employment, but the Labour Government is revealing little information on how the personnel are selected and what activities they are undertaking. Task force members include friends of Education Secretary David Blunkett, school headteachers, business leaders and trade unionists. College principals are angered that further education is under-represented. Some members have queried the need for secrecy, while others feel secrecy enables discussions to be open without outside criticism.

National bargaining should be reestablished for lecturers at United Kingdom colleges of further and higher education, and management pay scales should be dropped, according to Paul Mackney, new general secretary of lecturers' union NATFHE. He is opposed to the growing use of short-term contracts in universities, and believes that agencies should not be used for lecturers employed for more than 12 weeks. He is against the internal market in education, and is seeking a national framework agreement.

The UK House of Commons education select committee has recalled Association of Colleges (AOC) Chief Executive Roger Ward to explain why he had previously given evidence claiming that the association held a full register of interests when this was not actually the case. Ward has now had to admit to MPs that he was mistaken in stating that such a register existed. He has stated that the document to which he was referring was his own list of interests.

UK further education colleges should be prepared to increase investment in overseas schemes if they wish to be really successful, according to a report entitled 'The Shrinking World' from the UK Further Education Development Agency. Of 180 colleges surveyed, 72% have strategic plans for international activities. However, only 40% have a written policy. It is vital that colleges make use of latest computer technology to exploit the potential of overseas markets.

The wealthy parents of children aged between 16 and 19 who are in full-time education should not receive child benefit, according to Graham Lane, chairman of the UK government's working group on student grants. He believes that child benefit should not be paid to this age group, with the money saved being used to fund maintenance grants for 16- to 19-year-olds in education. He has expressed concern that the government could be reconsidering moves to abolish child benefit payments for 16- to 19-year-olds.

The planned UK merger of Mackworth College in Derby, Derby University and High Peak College in Buxton has collapsed after Mackworth College resolved to stay independent. The merger would have created Derbyshire Regional University, with general administrative control going to Derby University Vice Chancellor Roger Waterhouse. The new institution would have catered to about 1,400 higher education students and 15,000 further education pupils, with an estimated yearly turnover of 66 million pounds sterling. Talks will proceed between the two remaining education facilities.

Manchester College of Arts and Technology (MANCAT) has formed links with four local high schools to promote further education. MANCAT undertook the project because it was attracting very few students from certain areas of the town. Pupils were happy to continue their education in familiar surroundings, rather than move to the main college. Links with MANCAT allows secondary schools to establish a small sixth form, encouraging students to continue their education. The projects can not call themselves sixth forms because authorization is needed from the Secretary of Education.

The UK government is setting out plans to encourage a programme of lifelong learning for the people of Britain. Suggestions for implementing the proposal include establishing the idea of lifelong learning in primary children, running national advertising promotions, extra funding from the National Lottery and tax gaps to assist with course payment. People already in work will be encouraged to take up some form of extra learning activity, although the report suggests that a complete re-think of the educational system and strategy will be needed to implement the proposals.

Bilston Community College, Wolverhampton, England, Principal Keith Wymer has worked hard to develop close ties with industry, the church and community groups to help pay for the extensive expansion the college has experienced. Wymer has plans to fund the continuing expansion of the college with money for the European Union, investments, consultancy work and other projects, to raise 10 million pounds sterling. Union leaders have accused the college of paying low rates to some lecturers. The college lost funding of 4 million pounds sterling when further education budgets were reduced in Jan 1997.

Head of the UK Government's Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) Dr Nick Tate believes the newly-merged authority will have different powers for regulating education than previously held by the organisations from which it is formed. The QCA will ensure educational and vocational qualifications are of a recognised quality and aims to be tough on those bodies that fail to meet the required quality levels. Tate is sympathetic towards minority subjects and aims to preserve them. He claims that training groups and colleges will be consulted so that appropriate vocational courses are developed.

Roger Ward became the chief executive of the UK's Association of Colleges in September 1996, since when he has given given Britain's colleges a higher profile. He is encouraged by the greater unity being displayed by further education institutions as they seek to persuade the new Labour government to reverse the spending squeeze imposed by the previous administration. Ward, regarded as a buccaneer figure in the higher education sector, gained his reputation as chief executive of the AOC's predecessor, the Colleges' Employment Forum. His activity over the past few months has been behind the scenes, working on building up the AOC's organisation and membership.

The UK government has been widely criticized for its policy regarding gap year students and university tuition fees. It has stated that only students who had a firm offer of a deferred university place for 1998 on Aug 1, 1997, will be exempt from tuition fees. In contrast, gap year students who had not secured a place for 1998 by that date will have to pay tuition fees when they begin their university education. Many observers believe that this is an unfair situation, especially as students considering taking a gap year received no warning of the change in policy.

Pupils attending private schools in the UK are set to derive particular benefit from the government's decision to exempt students who have already secured a university place for Oct 1998 from tuition fees, which are to be introduced at that time. Research indicates that many more private school pupils than state school pupils take a gap year away from education between school and university. The National Union of Students believes that students who have decided to take a gap-year but who have not yet applied to a university for Oct 1998 are at a considerable disadvantage.

The UK government has emphasized its commitment to retaining the A-level examination, ruling out any dramatic reform of this stage of school education. However, it has stated that it intends to extend the scope of A-levels, ensuring that they cover key subjects such as information technology. Any plans for reform of sixth-form education at this stage will look only at options which were considered by the previous Conservative administration.

The UK government has announced that students who have already received an offer of a university place for 1998 will not have to pay tuition fees for the duration of their course, even if they do not undertake any voluntary work at all in the meantime. Originally, the government had stated that only gap-year students who carried out three months' voluntary work would be exempt from tuition fees. This approach has angered student leaders, who believe that all students entering university in 1998 should be treated equally.

British educationalist Sir Ron Dearing's report on higher education represents a carefully considered view on the future of higher education in the United Kingdom. Dearing and his team spent more than one year compiling the 1700-page document on behalf of the government. It recommends that students pay 1,000 pounds sterling for courses at universities and colleges. Public funding will continue unabated, says Dearing. Other aspects are discussed.

The ongoing strike by lecturers at Southwark College could disrupt exams and assessments, according to students' leader Peter Clauzelma. The dispute concerns a 1.5 million pounds sterling cuts package, which NATFHE the lecturers' union regards as a test case. Other disputes concerns the dismissal of a senior lecturer who refused to take up a new post, and plans by the college to pilot the use of ELS, the controversial lecturers agency.

Thousands of members of college lecturers and teachers union NATFHE in the United Kingdom are demonstrating against the surprise suspension of general secretary John Akker. Akker, who chose to retire early immediately after the incident, was persuaded to leave his post for the sum of 73,000 pounds sterling. His supporters say that the executive committee was entirely unjustified in its actions and want the matter to be investigated.

UK colleges feel able to carry out the plans of the new Labour government to train young people who are removed from the list of unemployed and given jobs, provided that sufficient money is put into the project, according to the Association of Colleges' director of development, John Brennan. The Association wants the government to allow colleges to be involved from the start in discussions on the courses

College principals have warned that some sixth form colleges may have to close if funding cuts continue, and they are calling for parity with school sixth forms which receive more cash per student. They have complained about the lack of proper debate about the future of full time 16-19 education and the need to address national shortages in science, maths and languages. A representative of sixth forms on the Association of Colleges believes that further cuts to FE colleges may lead to even greater selection.

The UK's national vocational qualification (NVQ) system has come under attack, with figures showing that over 40% of NVQ courses have never been completed or have been completed by only one trainee. The NVQ system has attracted 79 million pounds sterlings of government funding. However, 330 of the 878 awards currently available have never been completed. A further 50 courses have only been completed once. Prof Alan Smithers of Brunel University's Centre for Education and Employment Research says that NVQs are based too much on very narrow job descriptions.

The UK's system of national vocational qualifications (NVQs) is fundamentally flawed, according to Professor Alan Smithers of Brunel University's Centre for Education and Employment Research. Speaking at the Perth College conference on the role of post-school education within a competitive economy, Smithers says that NVQs do not seek to develop people's skills, but merely set out a list of job competences. This focus on specific units assumes that knowledge is merely an 'aggregation of bits'.

There were a number of factors which led to serious underachievement and financial difficulties at Stoke-on-Trent College, according to a report by the Further Education Funding Council. Many of the college's problems can be attributed to the actions of former principal Neil Preston, and to a certain extent to programme planning director Helen Chandler. There were failings in financial controls at the college, and problems were also caused by the personal relationship between Preston and Chandler.

There is potential to considerably expand adult education provision in the UK, according to education minister James Paice. Many companies now recognise that it is very important to train their staff appropriately, while employees are also aware of the need to keep their skills up to date. Expanding adult education will play a key role in meeting the requirements of an expanding economy, and every effort will be made to create a culture of training and learning.

UK government officials are concerned about the efficacy of franchised training courses operated by colleges such as Halton College in Widnes, England. A working group is studying the quality control procedures of the franchising system and the way in which public funds are being used to run workplace-based training courses. Politicians from all parties claim to support alliances between the private sector and colleges, but the rate of expansion of the scheme is causing concern. There are 39,000 students attending Halton College courses, although just 9,000 are based on campus.

A strong sense of unity is evident among further education colleges in the UK in the run-up to the forthcoming general election. The goals of college freedom, budget stability and greater focus on further education as a driving force for economic renewal and training are now shared by the Association of Principals of Colleges, the Association of Colleges and the Association of College Management. Managers and unions are broadly united except over contracts. College leaders are now planning to be very influential in the first 100 days of the new government.

Reports that a survey conducted by the Further Education Funding Council on its staff, revealed that lecturers at further education colleges in Great Britain have limited qualifications. Criticism of the out-of-date industrial experience of staff; Details on the report; Call for colleges to invest more effort in updating lecturers' skills.

Reports that Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor college has received a grant from the government of Wales to help promote the Welsh language. Criticism of the college by the Welsh Language Society for failing to provide adequate mother-tongue courses; Research into the use of Welsh in continuing education colleges; Comment of college principal Ian Rees.

Reports on the rejection of the lifelong learning White Paper document by Prime Minister of England, Tony Blair. Reason Blair rejected the paper; Comments from Graham Lane, education chairman of the Local Government Association. INSET: On the brink of national acclaim, by Nagio Crequer.