Panel hears of ‘drastic under-funding of colleges’ during Question Time debate

Media students at our Ardleigh Green campus helped to promote a live Colleges Week Question Time programme which saw local education delegates debate issues faced by colleges today.

The students filmed and produced the live stream panel discussion which was chaired by A Level student Zak Zoi.

New City College staff were able to join the live debate on Teams, which featured Mary Vine-Morris (pictured above), Area Director (London), Association of Colleges; Scott Young, Head of Skills, Employment and Education, Houses of Parliament Restoration and Renewal Programme; Michaela Philpot, Assistant Principal, The Brittons Academy, Rainham; and Gerry McDonald (pictured above), CEO and Group Principal, New City College.

During the Q&A discussion, NCC’s Gerry McDonald said: “What I love about our college and about our sector particularly is our inclusivity – that we are able to reach and help so many different types of students, so many people from so many different walks of life.”

He went on to raise the issue of government funding, saying further education definitely did not receive enough funding, especially not on a value-added basis.

“We are drastically under-funded as a sector and it will have implications for us going forward,” he warned.

Michaela Philpot said: “Colleges are essentially the centre of our community. As secondary schools, we look to empower students, raise their aspirations and improve their life chances and the links we have with our local colleges go a long way to how we do that.”

The debate was aired live from the TV Studio at Ardleigh Green campus in Ardleigh Green Road, Hornchurch. Colleges Week ran from 18-22 October, and was a chance to celebrate and shout about all of the brilliant things that colleges do, day in and day out, to build communities, boost businesses, and support individuals.