Vocational Education Committee
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A Vocational Education Committee (VEC) ({{langx|ga|Coiste Gairmoideachais}}) was a statutory local education body in Ireland that administered 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. They existed from 1930 to 2013, when they were replaced by Education and Training Boards.{{cite news|title=Education and Training Boards replace VECs to save €2m a year|url=http://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/education-and-training-boards-replace-vecs-to-save-2m-a-year-599013.html|access-date=2 July 2013|newspaper=Irish Examiner|date=1 July 2013|archive-date=19 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131019172902/http://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/education-and-training-boards-replace-vecs-to-save-2m-a-year-599013.html|url-status=live}}
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.{{Cite web |url=http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/1930_29.html |title=Vocational Education Act, 1930, accessed 20 October 2007 |access-date=14 November 2004 |archive-date=30 October 2004 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041030042712/http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/1930_29.html |url-status=live }}
Duties
Over time the duties of VECs increased, in particular in the area of adult education. These included:
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{{Cite web |url=http://www.corkvec.ie/about/ |title=What are VECs?, (Cork VEC), visited 20 October 2007 |access-date=20 October 2007 |archive-date=18 November 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071118172628/http://www.corkvec.ie/about/ |url-status=live }}
- Adult Literacy and Basic Education
- Back To Education Initiative (BTEI)
- Adult Refugee Programme (ARP)
VECs also administered maintenance grants and bursaries for third-level education until 2012.{{cite web|title=Quick guide to the SUSI grant process|url=http://www.studentfinance.ie/mp9544/quick-guide-to-the-susi-grant-process/index.html|work=studentfinance.ie|access-date=2 July 2013|archive-date=30 June 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130630143104/http://www.studentfinance.ie/mp9544/quick-guide-to-the-susi-grant-process/index.html|url-status=live}}
In September 2008, County Dublin VEC opened the first Community National School, in Porterstown, Dublin 15. This marked the first time a VEC had become involved in primary school education.{{Cite web |url=http://www.codubvec.ie/index.cfm/go/news_one/news_key/266 |title=Welcome to the County Dublin Vocational Education Committee Website |access-date=17 September 2008 |archive-date=20 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720211132/http://www.codubvec.ie/index.cfm/go/news_one/news_key/266 |url-status=live }}
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 final number of 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.
=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 were also entitled to elect committee members. Members could also be appointed to represent the interests of students, voluntary organisations, community organisations, Irish language interests and business.{{Cite Irish legislation |year=2001|number=23 |name=Vocational Education (Amendment) Act 2001|access-date=20 October 2007 |archive-date=31 October 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071031042747/http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/2001/en/act/pub/0023/index.html }}
List of Vocational Education Committees 1997–2013
Amalgamations and abolition
In October 2010 the Department of Education announced that the number of VECs was to be reduced from 33 to 16 by amalgamation{{cite news |title=Cabinet agrees to cut number of VECs |newspaper=Irish Times |date=13 October 2010 |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2010/1013/1224280973224.html |author=Seán Flynn |access-date=14 October 2010 |archive-date=14 October 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101014205739/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2010/1013/1224280973224.html |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=http://www.education.ie/home/home.jsp?maincat=&pcategory=10861&ecategory=10876§ionpage=12251&language=EN&link=link001&page=1&doc=51053 |title=Tánaiste announces restructuring of Vocational Education Committees (VECs) – Number of VECs reduced from 33 to 16 |date=12 October 2010 |work=Press Releases |publisher=Department of Education (Ireland) |access-date=14 October 2010 |archive-date=23 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723180430/http://www.education.ie/home/home.jsp?maincat=&pcategory=10861&ecategory=10876§ionpage=12251&language=EN&link=link001&page=1&doc=51053 |url-status=live }} In 2011 the new government confirmed that scale of reduction but revised the scheme of amalgamations{{Cite web |url=http://www.education.ie/home/home.jsp?maincat=&pcategory=10861&ecategory=10876§ionpage=12251&language=EN&link=link001&page=1&doc=54260 |title=29 June 2011 – Minister for Education and Skills announces revised mergers of Vocational Education Committees (VECs) |access-date=27 July 2011 |archive-date=27 September 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927114652/http://www.education.ie/home/home.jsp?maincat=&pcategory=10861&ecategory=10876§ionpage=12251&language=EN&link=link001&page=1&doc=54260 |url-status=live }} It subsequently announced the establishment of SOLAS, a new steering and funding agency to cover the further education provision of the VECs, which also absorbed the training activities formerly carried out by FÁS.{{Cite web |url=http://www.education.ie/home/home.jsp?maincat=&pcategory=10861&ecategory=10876§ionpage=12251&language=EN&link=link001&page=1&doc=54506 |title=27 July 2011 – New further education and training authority, SOLAS, launched by Minister Quinn- Government agrees to wind down FÁS |access-date=27 July 2011 |archive-date=16 September 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110916100016/http://www.education.ie/home/home.jsp?maincat=&pcategory=10861&ecategory=10876§ionpage=12251&language=EN&link=link001&page=1&doc=54506 |url-status=live }}
Under the terms of the Education and Training Boards Act 2013 the VECs were dissolved, being replaced by 16 Education and Training Boards (ETBs) on 1 July 2013:{{cite web|title=Education and Training Boards Act 2013|url=http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/2013/en/act/pub/0011/print.html#sched3|work=Irish Statute Book|access-date=2 July 2013|archive-date=22 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131022160516/http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/2013/en/act/pub/0011/print.html#sched3|url-status=live}}
- County Dublin VEC and Dún Laoghaire VEC replaced by Dublin & Dún Laoghaire ETB
- City of Dublin VEC replaced by City of Dublin ETB
- City of Galway VEC, County Galway VEC and County Roscommon VEC replaced by Galway & Roscommon ETB
- County Cork VEC and City of Cork VEC replaced by Cork ETB
- County Kerry VEC replaced by Kerry ETB
- City of Limerick VEC, County Limerick VEC and County Clare VEC replaced by Limerick & Clare ETB
- City of Waterford VEC, County Waterford VEC and County Wexford VEC replaced by Waterford & Wexford ETB
- North Tipperary VEC and South Tipperary VEC replaced by Tipperary ETB
- County Donegal VEC replaced by Donegal ETB
- County Kildare VEC and County Wicklow VEC replaced by Kildare & Wicklow ETB
- County Mayo VEC, County Sligo VEC and County Leitrim VEC replaced by Mayo, Sligo & Leitrim ETB
- County Cavan VEC and County Monaghan VEC replaced by Cavan & Monaghan ETB
- County Laois VEC and County Offaly VEC replaced by Laois & Offaly ETB
- County Carlow VEC and County Kilkenny VEC replaced by Kilkenny & Carlow ETB
- County Longford VEC and County Westmeath VEC replaced by Longford & Westmeath ETB
- County Meath VEC and County Louth VEC replaced by Louth & Meath ETB
References
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External links
- [http://www.ivea.ie Irish Vocational Education Association]