Unfortunately Pete Keeffe misunderstood my comments about the potential of FE colleges to deliver higher education (“Myopic leadership”, FE Focus, February 28).
I was in no way suggesting that people who gain level 2 qualifications should not progress to higher-level programmes at their colleges.
The purpose of my remarks was to stress the importance of offering students opportunities to gain skills at all levels that are fit for purpose and in line with the needs of the economy.
This will not, I believe, be achieved by an elite group of colleges becoming “new polytechnics”. Fortunately, judging by the lead story in last week’s FE Focus (“Ministers blocked ‘polytechnic’ option”), this is also the opinion of the Government.
David Hunter
Chief executive
Further Education National Training Organisation (Fento)
32 Farringdon Street, London EC4A
