UCU: Stop the erosion of hours for delivery of FE programmes

Motion

Motion text: Members are constantly bombarded with communication and strategies related
to improving quality, while at the same time facing the cut of contact time for
the delivery of programmes. Learners are increasingly struggling to complete
and achieve programmes, due to a rapid rise in learners with mental health
conditions and additional learning needs. Cutting delivery time for programmes
will increase the likelihood more learners will fail. As lecturers struggle to get
learners through qualifications in less time, they are seeing their contact hours
decreasing, resulting in being given more programmes to teach to make up the
shortfall in contact hours. This is not an option we see as acceptable.
Conference calls upon our officers to make clear to examination bodies, college
principals and political representatives the consequences of cutting delivery time
for FE programmes, in terms of the effect on quality, the learner experience and
increased lecturer workloads.