Maintaining high standards and low bureaucracy
Reforming the VQ system is an important part of the strategy to develop skills in the UK to a world class standard. A robust qualifications system - for general and vocational qualifications - is essential to maintain the highest standards and the complete confidence of learners, employers and the public.
While seeking to maintain standards, developing world class skills also requires the freedom for those developing qualifications to be innovative and for global organisations to operate internationally. Flexibility and responsiveness require minimum bureaucracy.
The reforms to the system, in both the short- and longer-term, aim to achieve the right balance between high standards and flexibility, and proportionate regulation and bureaucracy.
Changes to regulation in England
In September 2007 the Department for Children, Schools & Families (DCSF) announced the intention to separate the role of qualifications regulator in England from the remaining functions of the existing QCA. Following consultation on regulatory reform, the Office of the Qualifications and Examinations Regulator ('Ofqual') was established in April 2008 in an interim form as the independent body responsible for regulating qualifications and examinations. Subject to legislation in 2008-09, the separation of the QCA into two organisations will be put on a statutory basis.
On 2 April DCSF announced the first chair of the regulator of qualifications and examinations (Ofqual) For more information see www.ofqual.gov.uk
Prior to this major change, the Education & Skills Bill 2007 has proposed a first step in the direction of the future reforms by giving the QCA the power to recognise (license) awarding organisations and so to shift the balance of its scrutiny from individual qualifications to the processes of licensed awarding organisations.
Under these proposals Ofqual would retain the power to accredit individual VQs but would not be required to do so, as it is at present. In the case of VQs, the proposed changes would focus regulation on awarding bodies' processes, expertise and capacity. Through licensing and a subsequent audit process, the organisation would be recognised to submit VQs to the Qualifications & Credit Framework (QCF) based on SSC approval, without the requirement for subsequent accreditation.
The change is intended to reduce bureaucracy by enabling the regulatory powers to be applied as appropriate to the level of risk associated with a qualification. The power to accredit qualifications is likely to be applied for certain categories of qualifications, such as GCSEs, and to qualifications outside the SSCs' footprints or for skills not covered by sectors, e.g. ESOL.
Ofqual would have the freedom to make proportionate decisions about the frequency and the need for scrutiny. For example, if the Health and Safety Executive has already scrutinised and passed a VQ, Ofqual would not duplicate its inspection. However, if a VQ posed a significant risk to the public and there were any doubts about the level of inspection, the regulator would retain the power to scrutinise and accredit.
If Ofqual has any cause for concern - including due to a registered complaint or a previous problem - then the awarding body or VQ could be more closely inspected. The regulator would also have stronger powers to impose sanctions, ultimately removing an awarding body's license if it fails to comply with the required standards.
On 2 April 2008 QCA published a Report on recognising organisations as awarding bodies. This report details QCA's reformed approach to its process.for recognising awarding bodies. The current recognition process can take six months to three years, whereas the revised process can be completed within just a couple of months.