EDUCATION’s chief civil servant this week told of his sense of shame over his department’s handling of individual learning accounts.
The Public Accounts Committee, whose chairman Edward Leigh last month called the management of the failed adult learning scheme “risible”, this week heard from the man with the ultimate administrative responsibility for itsfailure.
“This is a bad story,” said David Normington, permanent secretary at the Department for Education and Skills, who was called before MPs on Tuesday. “I am ashamed of it on behalf of my department.”
The DfES spent pound;273 million on the scheme, which was closed down in November last year amid allegations of abuse and fraud by learning providers.
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