Your editorial of September 10 highlighted "glaring failures in college governance" in further education. You concentrated on what appeared to be a public scandal involving managers the chairman of the board of management at Coatbridge College. The College in question was Coatbridge College and the Principal Mr John Doyle.
Since the editorial you have published various reports of politicians expressing anger and frustration over this case. According to the Auditor General, John Doyle as principal of the colleges and his chairman of the board of management worked together "to achieve a certain outcome". That certain outcome seems to have been that they would withhold information in order to ensure higher than normal payments being made to Mr Doyle and others. Yet it seems that there is little that can be done. There appears to be no legal remedy, other than to bring Mr Doyle before parliament.
For those of us who have worked in FE over the past twenty odd years of "incorporated colleges" this story does not shock us. The history of "incorporated colleges" has thrown up a number of instances of failure in governance. For too long FE colleges have been seen as personal fiefdoms by a number of principals.
FE colleges are mainly funded by the Scottish Funding Council (SFC). The SFC directs public funds to colleges to deliver further education.
Further education used to be referred to as the Further Education Service, and as you report "most public servants do not behave like this". I represent lecturers in FE colleges and across the sector lecturers have been calling for years for a return to an FE service with accountability in the use of public funds, and a return to public service ethos for colleges.
Funding for FE has never been in such short supply, and never been so essential given the hard times that face young people.
John Kelly,
EIS-FELA President,
(EIS Further Education Section),
131 Corsebar Road,
Paisley.
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