ELWa
Encyclopedia
ELWa was an Assembly Sponsored Public Body responsible for post-16 learning in Wales
, active from 2000 to 2006. ELWa's functions are now exercised by the Assembly Government
's Department for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills.
established by the Learning and Skills Act 2000
. NCETW merged the functions of the former Training and Enterprise Council
s in Wales with the Further Education Funding Council for Wales
. The organisation's remit was to plan and fund post-16 learning (excluding higher education
) in Wales, including further education
, publicly-funded work-based training
, adult community learning
and school
sixth form
s.
NCETW/ELWa's main statutory responsibilities were to:
The Welsh Assembly Government treated ELWa as a single entity although it was not constituted as one.
(HEFCW), and both organisations shared a common executive with some joint staff co-located in Llanishen
(NCETW also maintained the former TEC offices in Bedwas
, Swansea
, Newtown and St Asaph
). Following a review in 2002 the Welsh Minister
for Education and Lifelong Learning, Jane Davidson
, decided that each Council should have a full-time dedicated Chief Executive and Director of Finance. Around the same time it also became apparent that there was no legal basis for the two Councils to jointly employ staff. Subsequently the brand name ELWa was retained solely by NCETW.
, poor risk management
and organisational restructuring
.
on 1 April 2006, along with the Welsh Development Agency
and Wales Tourist Board. ELWa's functions are now exercised by the Assembly Government
's Department for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills.
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, active from 2000 to 2006. ELWa's functions are now exercised by the Assembly Government
Welsh Assembly Government
The Welsh Government is the devolved government of Wales. It is accountable to the National Assembly for Wales, the legislature which represents the interests of the people of Wales and makes laws for Wales...
's Department for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills.
Formation and activities
ELWa - Education and Learning Wales was the brand used by the National Council for Education and Training for Wales (NCETW), an Assembly Sponsored Public Body (ASPB) or quangoQuango
Quango or qango is an acronym used notably in the United Kingdom, Ireland and elsewhere to label an organisation to which government has devolved power...
established by the Learning and Skills Act 2000
Learning and Skills Act 2000
The Learning and Skills Act 2000 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It made changes in the funding and administration of further education, and of work-based learning for young people, within England and Wales....
. NCETW merged the functions of the former Training and Enterprise Council
Training and Enterprise Council
The Training and Enterprise Councils or TECs were local bodies established in England and Wales in the early 1990s to administer publicly-funded training programmes, replacing the former Manpower Services Commission. The first group of 19 TECs were launched in 1990...
s in Wales with the Further Education Funding Council for Wales
Further Education Funding Council for Wales
The Further Education Funding Council for Wales was a non-departmental public body of the Welsh Office and later an Assembly Sponsored Public Body which distributed funding to Further Education and Sixth Form Colleges in Wales between 1992 and 2001....
. The organisation's remit was to plan and fund post-16 learning (excluding higher education
Higher education
Higher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...
) in Wales, including further education
Further education
Further education is a term mainly used in connection with education in the United Kingdom and Ireland. It is post-compulsory education , that is distinct from the education offered in universities...
, publicly-funded work-based training
Vocational education
Vocational education or vocational education and training is an education that prepares trainees for jobs that are based on manual or practical activities, traditionally non-academic, and totally related to a specific trade, occupation, or vocation...
, adult community learning
Adult education
Adult education is the practice of teaching and educating adults. Adult education takes place in the workplace, through 'extension' school or 'school of continuing education' . Other learning places include folk high schools, community colleges, and lifelong learning centers...
and school
School
A school is an institution designed for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is commonly compulsory. In these systems, students progress through a series of schools...
sixth form
Sixth form
In the education systems of England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, and of Commonwealth West Indian countries such as Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Belize, Jamaica and Malta, the sixth form is the final two years of secondary education, where students, usually sixteen to eighteen years of age,...
s.
NCETW/ELWa's main statutory responsibilities were to:
- Secure the provision of facilities for post-16 education and training in Wales (with the exception of higher education (covered by the other ELWa partner, Higher Education Funding Council for WalesHigher Education Funding Council for WalesThe Higher Education Funding Council for Wales is an Assembly Government Sponsored Body, and anintermediary body between the Welsh Assembly Government and the higher education sector in Wales.- HEFCW business :...
); - Encourage young people and adults to participate in learning; and
- Encourage employers to participate in, and contribute to the costs of, post-16 education and training.
The Welsh Assembly Government treated ELWa as a single entity although it was not constituted as one.
Re-organisation
Initially the ELWa brand was used by both the NCETW and the Higher Education Funding Council for WalesHigher Education Funding Council for Wales
The Higher Education Funding Council for Wales is an Assembly Government Sponsored Body, and anintermediary body between the Welsh Assembly Government and the higher education sector in Wales.- HEFCW business :...
(HEFCW), and both organisations shared a common executive with some joint staff co-located in Llanishen
Llanishen
Llanishen is a district in the north of Cardiff, the capital city of Wales. Llanishen is well-known as the home of the 'Tax Offices', the tallest buildings in north Cardiff and a landmark for miles around...
(NCETW also maintained the former TEC offices in Bedwas
Bedwas
Bedwas is a town two miles north-east of Caerphilly, south Wales, situated in the Caerphilly county borough, within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire....
, Swansea
Swansea
Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...
, Newtown and St Asaph
St Asaph
St Asaph is a town and community on the River Elwy in Denbighshire, Wales. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 3,491.The town of St Asaph is surrounded by countryside and views of the Vale of Clwyd. It is situated close to a number of busy coastal towns such as Rhyl, Prestatyn, Abergele,...
). Following a review in 2002 the Welsh Minister
Welsh Assembly Government
The Welsh Government is the devolved government of Wales. It is accountable to the National Assembly for Wales, the legislature which represents the interests of the people of Wales and makes laws for Wales...
for Education and Lifelong Learning, Jane Davidson
Jane Davidson
Jane Davidson, AM was the Labour Assembly Member for Pontypridd and the Minister for Environment, Sustainability and Housing in the Welsh Assembly Government. She lives in Gwaelod-y-Garth with her husband and three children...
, decided that each Council should have a full-time dedicated Chief Executive and Director of Finance. Around the same time it also became apparent that there was no legal basis for the two Councils to jointly employ staff. Subsequently the brand name ELWa was retained solely by NCETW.
Criticism
During its short history, ELWa attracted criticism for a series of failures in financial managementAccountancy
Accountancy is the process of communicating financial information about a business entity to users such as shareholders and managers. The communication is generally in the form of financial statements that show in money terms the economic resources under the control of management; the art lies in...
, poor risk management
Risk management
Risk management is the identification, assessment, and prioritization of risks followed by coordinated and economical application of resources to minimize, monitor, and control the probability and/or impact of unfortunate events or to maximize the realization of opportunities...
and organisational restructuring
Layoff
Layoff , also called redundancy in the UK, is the temporary suspension or permanent termination of employment of an employee or a group of employees for business reasons, such as when certain positions are no longer necessary or when a business slow-down occurs...
.
Merger with Welsh Assembly Government
ELWa was merged with the Welsh Assembly GovernmentWelsh Assembly Government
The Welsh Government is the devolved government of Wales. It is accountable to the National Assembly for Wales, the legislature which represents the interests of the people of Wales and makes laws for Wales...
on 1 April 2006, along with the Welsh Development Agency
Welsh Development Agency
The Welsh Development Agency was a QUANGO and later an Assembly Sponsored Public Body established in 1976 to encourage business development and investment in Wales, to clear derelict land and to encourage growth of local businesses...
and Wales Tourist Board. ELWa's functions are now exercised by the Assembly Government
Welsh Assembly Government
The Welsh Government is the devolved government of Wales. It is accountable to the National Assembly for Wales, the legislature which represents the interests of the people of Wales and makes laws for Wales...
's Department for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills.