Further Education Activity and Essential Skills Statistical Bulletins published

The Department for the Economy has today published two statistical bulletins:

(i) Further Education Activity in Northern Ireland: 2013/14 to 2015/16.

This statistical bulletin presents a range of analysis regarding enrolments (both regulated and non-regulated) in the NI FE Sector covering the academic years 2013/14 to 2015/16. This analysis covers the characteristics of those enrolling in FE colleges across a range of variables including gender, age, mode of attendance, provision area, level of study, subject area, areas of deprivation, funding streams, higher education and performance (retention, achievement and success rates).

Key points include: -

• Over the past three academic years, the number of enrolments at FE colleges has decreased by 14.9%, from 180,825 in 2013/14 to 153,817 in 2015/16
• The proportion of all enrolments that are regulated increased from 78.4% in 2013/14 to 84.0% in 2015/16
• Of the 129,274 regulated enrolments in 2015/16 nearly four-fifths (78.2%) were at ‘Level 2 or above’.

A storyboard covering a wider range of key points is presented at FE Storyboard

A summary infographic is available at FE Infographic. 

This full statistical bulletin is available to download from the Department’s website

(ii) Essential Skills enrolments and outcomes in Northern Ireland from 2002/03 up to 2015/16.

The statistical bulletin provides detail provides detail into the characteristics of those enrolling and qualifying, as well as performance statistics for the Essential Skills programme since the start of the strategy in 2002/03 up to 2015/16

Key points include: -

• From 2002/03 to 2010/11, enrolments in Essential Skills increased year on year. However, since 2011/12, enrolments have started to decrease. Over the past academic year enrolments have decreased by 2.7% from 39,218 in 2014/15 to 38,147 in 2015/16 but still remain higher than totals in 2008/09 and earlier academic years
• Over the course of the strategy, 40.2% of Essential Skills enrolments have been in Literacy, 39.6% in Numeracy and 20.2% in ICT
• Almost two thirds (65.4%) of Essential Skills enrolments gain a qualification. For Numeracy enrolments, the equivalent success rate is 68.2%, while it is 67.5% for Literacy and 56.0% for ICT enrolments

A storyboard covering a wider range of key points is presented at ES Storyboard.

A summary infographic is available at ES Infographic.

This full statistical bulletin is available to download from the Department’s website ES Bulletin.

Notes to editors:

1.Media enquiries contact DFE Press Office on 028 9052 9604. Out of office hours please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 07623 974 383 and your call will be returned

2.Follow us on Twitter @Economy_NI

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