College chief resigns over ‘unjustified’ shake-up by Mike Russell

By CHRIS MARSHALL
Published on Saturday 18 February 2012 00:30

THE chairman of one of Scotland’s largest colleges has quit his position in protest at the Scottish Government’s plans to shake up the country’s further education sector.

Drew Duncan, chair of the management board at James Watt College, criticised plans outlined earlier this month to re-order colleges under 12 regional boards.

He said education secretary Michael Russell’s decision to merge James Watt’s North Ayrshire campus in Kilwinning with neighbouring colleges was being done for “political reasons” and had no “educational justification”.

There is growing disquiet among the college sector about Scottish Government plans to create regional boards, which many fear will lead to further mergers between the country’s 43 institutions.

Mr Duncan, a former teacher and former provost of North Ayrshire Council, said: “It is with considerable sadness that I have decided to leave my role as chairman and board member at James Watt College. This move has not been prompted by any disagreement within the board or with any member of staff at the college; rather it is very much a personal decision.

“I find myself disagreeing with the regionalisation plans for the college sector put forward by the Scottish Government recently. It is my personal opinion that these proposals will not have a favourable impact on James Watt College as a whole and for this reason I wish to finish my tenure as board chair.

“It is my view that the cabinet secretary for education’s decision to merge the North Ayrshire Campus in Kilwinning with neighbouring colleges in the Ayrshire region, will effectively break up a successful college for political reasons. I do not believe there is any educational justification for such a move.”

Sue Pinder, principal of James Watt College, added: “Drew Duncan has been an excellent chair and has served the college in every way possible for a number of years now.

“We are very sad to see him step down but, of course, respectful of his decision to do so. On behalf of everyone at James Watt College, I wish him well in his future endeavours and thank him for all his tremendous hard work over the years.”

Outlining the recommendations of a report on college governance earlier this month, Mr Russell said further education colleges would be reordered under 12 regional boards, making them “more efficient” and “responsive to the needs of local students and local economies”.

Finance secretary John Swinney recently allocated an extra £40 million to Scotland’s colleges after 10,000 students wrote to their MSPs complaining about plans to slash funding across the sector over the next five years.

Meanwhile, a £15m “transformation fund” will be used to speed up mergers by paying for voluntary redundancy schemes.

In a letter to college principals last month, Mr Russell said the success of the college reforms was “critically dependent on moving swiftly to effective new regional delivery structures in the regions”.

John Spencer, convener of Scotland’s College Principals’ Convention, said there remained “significant challenges ahead”.

Commenting on the situation at James Watt College, a Scottish Government spokeswoman said: “Regionalisation is fundamentally about the needs of learners – not institutions – and meeting them more effectively. The fact is that the overwhelming majority of students at the Kilwinning campus come from Ayrshire. It therefore makes sense for the new Ayrshire region to be responsible for planning further education for their area.”

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Bunter

Tuesday, February 21, 2012 at 10:01 AM

With the odd exception, the management at James Watt College have been basket cases for years. Overpaid and overstaffed in an area of Scotland suffering severe social and economic problems. The concept of teamwork and collaboration seems to be missing in this college. For the chairman to resign because the campus in Kilwinning in Ayrshire has moved to the Ayrshire merger colleges is plainly nuts. It makes absolute economic and social sense. How many young students travelled from Inverclyde to Kilwinning? I bet you could count them on one hand

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Never A Fake

Saturday, February 18, 2012 at 09:48 AM

He presided over a gravy train. Sue Pinder of James Watt College has a personal wet-room in the college, constructed at a cost of many many thousands of pounds. She also lives in the Tontine Hotel in Greenock on full expenses funded by the college. The "management" team and their salaries have went through the roof as Pinder appoints friends and brown-nosers to the jobs

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McNasty

Saturday, February 18, 2012 at 07:26 AM

Drew Duncan has made a great sacrifice for the Labour party. One wonders if he is in the EIS? As for the changes, needs must I'm afraid, until better times return, when Scotland becomes independent again.

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gus1940

Saturday, February 18, 2012 at 05:25 AM

Former Provost of North Ayrshire means Labour Politician - Nuff Said.

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