Vocational Education Committee
A Vocational Education Committee (VEC) (Irish: Coiste Gairmoideachais) is a statutory local education body in the Republic of Ireland that administers some secondary education, most adult education and a very small amount of primary education in the state. Before 1992 VECs had authority over the Dublin Institute of Technology and the Regional Technical Colleges.
Contents |
[edit] Establishment
VECs were originally created by the Vocational Education Act 1930, as successors to the Technical Instruction Committees established by the Agriculture and Technical Instruction (Ireland) Act 1899. The original purpose of the committees was to administer continuation and technical education for 14 to 16 year-olds. Continuation education was defined as "general and practical training in preparation for employment in trades", while technical education was described as "pertaining to trades, manufacturers, commerce and other industrial pursuits". To this end the VECs were charged with the duty of setting up and maintaining vocational schools.[1]
[edit] Present duties
Since 1930 the duties of VECs have increased, in particular in the area of adult education. These include:
Post-primary (secondary) education
- Vocational Schools
- Community Colleges
Further and adult education
- Post-Leaving Certificate courses (PLCs)
- Youthreach Services
- Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (VTOS)
- Community Education[2]
VECs also administer maintenance grants and bursaries for third-level education.
In September 2008, County Dublin VEC opened the first Community National School, in Porterstown, Dublin 15. This marks the first time a VEC has become involved in primary school education. [1]
[edit] Organisation
VECs were originally established in each administrative county and county borough in the then Irish Free State. In addition, a VEC was formed in those municipal boroughs and urban districts which had a separate Technical Instruction Committee under the 1899 legislation (namely Bray, Drogheda, Sligo, Tralee and Wexford) and in the newly-created Borough of Dún Laoghaire.
The number of VECs was reduced to the present thirty-three when five town committees were amalgamated with the adjacent county committees, leaving Dún Laoghaire as the only VEC area not consisting of a city or county.
[edit] Committees
Each Vocational Education Committee was elected by the county, borough or urban district council and consisted partly of councillors and partly of persons with an "interest and experience in education" and who could be recommended by bodies "interested in manufacture or trades".
The Vocational Education (Amendment) Act 2001 changed the composition of the committees, and parents of students under 18 and members of the staff are also entitled to elect committee members. Members can also be appointed to represent the interests of students, voluntary organisations, community organisations, Irish language interests and business.[3]
[edit] List of Vocational Education Committees
[edit] Future amalgamations
In October 2010 the Department of Education and Skills announced that the number of VECs is to be reduced from 33 to 16 by amalgamation[9][10] In 2011 the new government confirmed that scale of reduction but revised the scheme of amalgamations[11] It subsequently announced the establishment of SOLAS, a new steering and funding agency to cover the further education provision of the VECs, which will also absorb the training activities formerly carried out by FÁS [12].
- County Dublin and Dún Laoghaire
- City of Dublin
- City of Galway, County Galway and County Roscommon
- County Cork and City of Cork
- County Kerry
- City of Limerick, County Limerick and County Clare
- City of Waterford, County Waterford and County Wexford
- North Tipperary and South Tipperary
- County Donegal
- County Kildare and County Wicklow
- County Mayo, County Sligo and County Leitrim
- County Cavan and County Monaghan
- County Laois and County Offaly
- County Carlow and County Kilkenny
- County Longford and County Westmeath
- County Meath and County Louth
[edit] External links
[edit] References
- ^ Vocational Education Act, 1930, accessed October 20, 2007
- ^ What are VECs?, (Cork VEC), visited October 20, 2007
- ^ Vocational Education (Amendment) Act 2001, accessed October 20, 2007
- ^ S.I. No. 89/1997 — Vocational Education (Urban District of Tralee Vocational Education Area and County Kerry Vocational Education Area) Amalgamation Order, 1997
- ^ S.I. No. 90/1997 — Vocational Education (Borough of Drogheda Vocational Education Area and County Louth Vocational Education Area) Amalgamation Order, 1997, accessed October 20, 2007
- ^ S.I. No. 92/1997 — Vocational Education (Borough of Sligo Vocational Education Area and County Sligo Vocational Education Area) Amalgamation Order, 1997, accessed October 20, 2007
- ^ S.I. No. 88/1997 — Vocational Education (Borough of Wexford Vocational Education Area and County Wexford Vocational Education Area) Amalgamation Order, 1997, accessed October 20, 2007
- ^ S.I. No. 91/1997 — Vocational Education (Urban District of Bray Vocational Education Area and County Wicklow Vocational Education Area) Amalgamation Order, 1997, accessed October 20, 2007
- ^ Seán Flynn (13 October 2010). "Cabinet agrees to cut number of VECs". Irish Times. http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2010/1013/1224280973224.html.
- ^ "Tánaiste announces restructuring of Vocational Education Committees (VECs) - Number of VECs reduced from 33 to 16". Press Releases. Department of Education and Skills. 12 October 2010. http://www.education.ie/home/home.jsp?maincat=&pcategory=10861&ecategory=10876§ionpage=12251&language=EN&link=link001&page=1&doc=51053. Retrieved 14 October 2010.
- ^ 29 June, 2011 - Minister for Education and Skills announces revised mergers of Vocational Education Committees (VECs)
- ^ 27 July, 2011 - New further education and training authority, SOLAS, launched by Minister Quinn- Government agrees to wind down FÁS
