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Comment on College Performance Indicators

Commenting on the latest College Performance Indicators Report published by the Scottish Funding Council today (Wednesday, 31 May 2023), Shona Struthers, Chief Executive of Colleges Scotland, said:

“The College Performance Indicators rightly identify the really challenging impact of the Omicrom variant – in some ways the academic year 2021/22 was more disrupted than in the first year of the pandemic when colleges simply had to stop in-person learning and move to almost completely online teaching.

“Socially distanced and at times a mix of online, blended, and then in-person learning was not easy to deliver but colleges worked incredibly hard to protect the learning experience for students and minimise disruption where that was possible to do.

“We agree with the assessment from the Scottish Funding Council that the huge demand from the labour market sectors like catering, hospitality, travel and retail led to some students choosing to work instead either beginning or finishing their course of study, and we are closely watching the ongoing impact of the cost-of-living crisis on college students, which may also lead them to join the labour market before completing their course.

“We would always urge students to reach out to college support staff who can help students to keep studying, learning and training especially around mental health or money worries and for good advice on housing, benefits and bills. Completing a course of study and gaining a qualification can start a lifelong career, and we would always urge students to complete their course when they can.”
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