The number of part-time enrolments on FE courses at Scottish colleges has risen significantly for the first time in 10 years, according to new data released by the Scottish Funding Council (SFC).
In 2016-17, there were a total of 195,125 enrolments to further education courses delivered part-time - 9,996 (5.4 per cent) more than the previous year. This follows a dramatic drop in FE part-time enrolments of 48 per cent since 2006-07.
According to the SFC, this drop was largely because of a reduction in programmes that do not lead to recognised qualifications - and those that last for fewer than 10 hours. However, student representatives have long cautioned a reduction in part-time provision should not limit opportunities for older learners or those returning to education.
Targets exceeded
The report also shows colleges have exceeded their targets both in terms of core credits and full-time provision. The number of enrolments to full-time HE courses at college has remained at the same level between 2015-16 and 2016-17 - as did the number of full-time FE courses in that time. Enrolment figures in both those categories had significantly increased over the past 10 years - by 27.5 per cent and 6.5 per cent, respectively.
The Scottish government stressed that the figures reveal a higher proportion of learning hours were delivered to older students, people with a declared disability, from the most deprived areas and from a black and minority ethnic background in 2016-17, with the number of credits delivered to college students reporting a care-experienced background increased to a record high.
Further and higher education minister Shirley-Anne Somerville said Scotland’s colleges played a vital role in widening access to further and higher education for students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
She said: “Over the last decade, Scotland’s colleges have undergone a transformation. They are now delivering more recognised qualifications to students from an increasingly diverse range of backgrounds.
“This report shows two things: that the quality of learning at our colleges has never been higher and also that the college sector has equality firmly established at its heart - something we highlighted in a recent government report.”
“These statistics show our colleges continuing to go from strength to strength and I look forward to working alongside them as we build on this progress.”
Colleges punching above their weight
Shona Struthers, chief executive of Colleges Scotland, said the report from the SFC confirmed that colleges were “continuing to punch above their weight, not only meeting their targets but exceeding them”. “The number of students has increased by 4 per cent and colleges have exceeded their full-time equivalent target by over 1,000 places. These are major achievements which show that the sector is committed to delivering the Scottish government’s priorities,” she said, adding:
“It is encouraging to see an increase in enrolments to part-time courses. Part-time study is important for people who need a route back into learning, have caring responsibilities, are living with a disability, and for those who want to retrain or upskill and improve their employability.
John Kemp, interim chief executive of the SFC, said: “What we see overall is a dynamic sector that in 2016-17 improved the life chances of over 230,000 people. It has done so inclusively, continuing to serve our deprived areas and in the last 10 years increasing the proportion of activity delivered to students with disabilities and students from minority ethnic backgrounds.”
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