'End marketisation of further education' call as private training provider collapses

Carter & Carter has been offering to take over parts of FE colleges' curriculum, such as the teaching of automotive maintenance, and in several colleges managed to do so. For teaching staff in many colleges this created uncertainty about their future. UCU has expressed doubts about a possible long term risk to lecturers' pay and conditions as well as to the quality of teaching.

Barry Lovejoy, head of further education at UCU, said: 'Carter & Carter's troubles are no surprise and introducing the profit motive into education provision is now proven not to be the answer. It has only added to uncertainty and instability.

'UCU calls on the government to stop its damaging ideological push for marketisation and 'contestability' and concentrate on supporting and properly funding good quality, broad, public education for all.'