Chapter 12: National Co-ordination
12.1 It will be clear from the previous chapters that implementation of the National Strategy requires nation-wide efforts. The Department for Education and Employment must have the lead responsibility, but other Government departments will have important roles to play. And many other institutions will need to be involved, such as educational institutions and training organisations, companies, unions, community groups, voluntary organisations and the media. Coherence and coordination will be needed nationally and locally.
12.2 If the National Strategy is to be successful, a number of functions must be performed at national level, such as:
- target-setting and leadership;
- coordination of funding;
- monitoring and development of the overall strategy;
- monitoring of action at local level towards national targets;
- promotion of the strategy;
- best practice and quality assurance advice and support for local actors;
- clear and coherent inspection.
12.3 The Secretary of State for Education and Employment will determine the National Strategy and the national targets. To help in this task, we recommend that a new National Adult Basic Skills Strategy Group, under Ministerial chairmanship, should be established by the Secretary of State. This Group, similar to the National Literacy and Numeracy Steering Group, will oversee the implementation of the National Strategy. As the strategy develops, the Group will assess progress and advise on changes or modifications. Membership would be drawn from the lead organisations involved in basic skills work with adults, and will include independent members drawn from other sectors, including community and voluntary organisations and groups and learners themselves.
12.4 As a great deal of detail will be involved, we recommend further that there should, under the main group, be a Technical Implementation Sub-Committee.
12.5 Operationally a number of functions will have to be undertaken. Our recommendations indicate which bodies and organisations should be responsible for specific tasks. For example:
- the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, the DfEE's Standards and Effectiveness Unit and the BSA should work together to develop a new curriculum for basic skills and new basic skills qualifications;
- the new FENTO, the BSA and others should work together to produce new qualifications for basic skills teachers.
Our proposals on the allocation of responsibilities are set out in the Implementation Plan below.
12.6 Other functions that should be undertaken nationally are:
- providing advice on the composition and likely effectiveness of the Basic Skills Action Plan of each Lifelong Learning Partnership;
- advising each Partnership on their Action Plan;
- promoting and disseminating good practice;
- coordinating and promoting the professional development of teachers;
- promoting basic skills nationally;
- assessing progress against targets.
12.7 Much support will be needed as back-up for these functions, and we recommend that the Basic Skills Agency be asked to provide this, building on its present activities. Independence will help to achieve the involvement that is needed nationally and locally. The National Strategy focuses on Partnerships between a range of local organisations and groups, the individuals in need and the Government that serves them. The independence of the Agency, a body close to Government, will help to ensure coherence and credibility. The Minister of State for Education and Employment, Baroness Blackstone said in a recent talk given to the Agency's Board of Management:
'The Agency has an important independent and lobbying role and sometimes its messages may be critical and at times even uncomfortable for Government; but it has a crucial role to play in raising standards'.
12.8 We recognise that these responsibilities would necessitate some changes in the structure and operation of the Agency. The Board of Management of the Agency, in collaboration with the DfEE, would need to consider these potential changes in relation to the implementation of the National Strategy.
12.9 While the inspection of basic skills programmes would continue to be undertaken by the inspection organisations, the Basic Skills Agency should monitor the progress of the Action Plans, and report on progress as part of its existing role in reporting to the Secretary of State annually about basic skills provision.
12.10 Within Government, as is clear, the lead responsibility falls to the Department for Education and Employment. But many other government departments must play a part in reaching and teaching adults with basic skills needs. For example:
- the Home Office should continue its crucial work in meeting basic skills needs within the prison population; and should also require probation services to extend the scope and effectiveness of their basic skills programmes;
- the Ministry of Defence should ensure that no member of the Armed Services, who enlists with poor basic skills, is left unable to cope with the literacy and numeracy demands of service life;
- the Department of Health, building on its commitment to education as a plank of long-term health gain, must look to new ways to make basic skills gain a part of Healthy Living Centres, Health Action Zones, and a part of the primary health care strategies of its providers;
- the DTI should find ways to ensure that basic skills finds its way into the competitiveness agenda of its agencies and of companies in general;
- the Department for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, through its housing, regeneration and other programmes, can reach large numbers of adults with basic skills needs and provide effective support in basic skills that will improve the capacity and enhance the life opportunities of many;
- and the Social Exclusion Unit should take account of the evidence on the impact of poor basic skills on individuals, their reduced opportunities and their potential exclusion from society.
12.11 In short, many government departments can contribute to the achievement of our goals, recognising the potential benefits of improved basic skills in their respective spheres. One cannot stress too often that poor basic skills can affect individuals in many aspects of life, calling for joint commitment, joint planning and joint action to make a concerted difference to their lives.
RECOMMENDATION 19 - A National Strategy Group
A new National Adult Basic Skills Strategy Group, with Ministerial chairmanship, should be established by the Secretary of State to oversee the implementation of the National Strategy. It should be supported by a Technical Implementation Sub-Committee.
RECOMMENDATION 20 - Role of the Basic Skills Agency
The role and responsibility of the Basic Skills Agency should be revised so that, building on its present responsibilities, it can:
(i) advise each partnership on their Action Plan;
(ii) promote and disseminate good practice;
(iii) advise each Partnership on their Action Plan;
(iv) coordinate and promote the professional development of teachers;
(v) promote basic skills nationally;
(vi) assess progress against targets;
(vii) report to the Secretary of State each year on progress towards meeting the national target.
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