Press Release - Extending access to learning
through technology: Ufi and the learndirect
service
4 November 2005
Sir John Bourn, head of the National Audit Office, reported
today that Ufi has done a good job establishing the learndirect
service in a relatively short period and has pushed the boundaries
of learning methods. The NAO looked at the operation of Ufi and the
learndirect service and, building upon the success already
achieved, found several areas where performance should be improved
and savings achieved.
The Department for Education and Skills established Ufi in 1998 to
deliver learning in new ways and help address the skills gap in the
workforce. It has received £930 million in education funding. It
has established a national advice line and website that provide
around 6 million advice sessions a year on careers and learning
opportunities, and established a network of some 2,400 learndirect
centres in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. learndirect is the
largest education provider of its type in the world. A total of 1.7
million people have taken 4 million learndirect courses. In
addition, Ufi has since 2003 been responsible for co-ordinating the
network of 6,000 UK online centres across England. Some 500,000
people a year take advantage of UK online centres and a recent
pilot demonstrated these centres’ ability to support other
e-government services.
Building Ufi and the learndirect network from scratch required
significant up-front investment. By 2004-05, marketing and
management costs were reducing but £54.2 million was still being
spent, 29 per cent of the budget allocated for services to
learndirect learners. Ufi has started to cut administrative costs,
but its four-tier delivery chain leads to duplication and
unproductive administration. As part of its ongoing change
programme Ufi should explore the potential for eliminating one
tier, thus freeing up more resources for front-line services.
The long-term sustainability of the learndirect network in rural
areas and those centres dealing with disadvantaged groups – where
the need for services is high – is in question. Ufi needs to
identify those centres at risk and work with the Department and the
Learning and Skills Council to develop plans for their
viability.
Nine per cent of learndirect learners have gone on to gain a full
level 2 qualification within two years. Ufi plans to increase
learndirect’s contribution to the Department’s Public Service
Agreement targets on adult level 2 qualifications and adult
literacy and numeracy by increasing its contribution to literacy
and numeracy test passes, increasing the number of pre-level 2
learners progressing to level 2 courses with other providers and by
delivering level 2 qualifications.
Ufi has achieved high recognition of the learndirect brand and has
developed increasingly high-quality learning materials. It needs to
do more to disseminate these materials across the education sector.
180,000 small- and medium-sized businesses have used learndirect
services, representing 4 per cent of the sector. There is lower
recognition of learndirect among employers than among the general
public, and many employers are not aware of the full range of
services offered. When Ufi was established one of its objectives
was to generate substantial income of its own, but by July 2005 its
total self-generated income was only £12 million. Ufi needs to do
more to market itself to the small- and medium-sized business
sector.
Sir John Bourn said:
“learndirect is a major innovative feat that within a
few short years has become the largest education provider of its
type in the world. It is attracting large numbers of learners who
otherwise would not have undertaken learning. Management and
administration costs have reduced with time but still take up too
large a portion of the budget. They need to be streamlined so that
more money can go into services for learners, and to increase the
emphasis on small- and medium-sized
businesses.”
Notes for Editors
- Press notices and reports are available
from the date of publication on the NAO website at www.nao.org.uk.
Hard copies can be obtained from The Stationery Office on 0845 702
3474.
- The Comptroller and Auditor General, Sir John Bourn, is
the head of the National Audit Office which employs some 800 staff.
He and the NAO are totally independent of Government. He certifies
the accounts of all Government departments and a wide range of
other public sector bodies; and he has statutory authority to
report to Parliament on the economy, efficiency and effectiveness
with which departments and other bodies have used their
resources.
Press Notice 57/05
All enquiries to Bill Schaper, NAO Press Office:
Tel: 020 7798 7335
Mobile: 07795 120838