Colleges should be placed at the centre of the government’s plans to recover lost learning, the Institute of Directors (IoD) has said.
The IoD’s comments come after the Association of Colleges published its report on college catch-up funding and remote education yesterday. It shows that, as a result of the pandemic, 77 per cent of 16- to 18-year-olds are performing below where they would normally be at this point in the academic year, with three-quarters of students one to four months behind.
Almost 70 per cent of adult students are performing below expectations and 71 per cent are one to four months behind, according to the report.
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Covid catch-up: 77 per cent of 16-18s performing below expectations
Joe Fitzsimons, senior policy adviser at the IoD, said: “It’s vitally important that the impact of the pandemic does not hinder long-term career prospects for young people. Building a pipeline of talent will be key to future growth among businesses of all sizes.
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“Colleges must be placed at the centre of the government’s lost learning plans. Business leaders seeking to support young people moving from education to the world of work must understand the impact of lost learning to provide tailored support for these individuals.”
AoC chief executive David Hughes said the organisation’s report painted a “stark picture” of the pandemic’s impact on learning for young people and adults.
“The government needs to act swiftly to support existing college students, those starting this autumn and those leaving for the labour market so that they experience the least disruption to their progression as possible.
“Our recommendations give long-term solutions to the problem of lost learning, because the impact of Covid will last for some time. Flexible programmes of extended study, joined-up work opportunities and fair 16-19 funding with teaching hours that level the playing field for England’s young people are all vital to ensure nobody is left behind.”
