YOUR article (FE Focus, August 25) on the Association of Colleges’ survey of middle managers’ and senior postholders’ salaries in further education claimed that: “The AOC, which wished to make the survey results confidential, declined to comment on the findings.” This is incorrect.
As I state in the foreword to the survey: “There has been a general increase in the level of public interest in pay and benefits matters - not only in education but in other professions.
“The association’s policy is openness where this is proper.
“For this reason, and as some of the data reaching the public has been incorrect and the cnclusions drawn often misleading, I am concerned to ensure that if we find pay issues for the sector are broadcast, that the information is accurate.
“As a result, where necessary, we may provide a resume of the main points from the survey to show a rational level of openness.”
We do remain concerned about protecting the confidentiality of individual postholders.
It is not the AOC’s policy to comment on documents obtained without the association’s authorisation.
David Gibson
Chief executive
Association of Colleges
Fifth floor, Centre Point
103 New Oxford Street
London WC1A
