New department - New dawn?
The new Department for Education and Skills (DfES) will focus on raising standards, increasing access, lifelong learning and improving work-based training, and will come under the auspices of new the Secretary of State for Education, Estelle Morris.
The Daily Mail gleefully reported that Ms. Morris, who was a teacher before entering politics, failed her French and English A-Levels, apparently due to a lack of application.
John Healy is now Parliamentary Secretary for Lifelong Learning and Further Education. Healy will bring to the role his experience as a tutor for the Open University's Business School, as well as knowledge of Treasury gained while working as private secretary to Gordon Brown.
Formerly Minister of Education and Equal Opportunities, Margaret Hodge takes over from Malcolm Wicks as Minister for Lifelong Learning and Higher Education. Her new responsibilities will include universities, and post-16 education and training.
ODL QC plans to use the opportunity presented by the changes to champion high quality distance and open learning.
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