An Engine for Change - A Chronicle of the Engineering Council

122A CHRONICLE OF THE ENGINEERING COUNCILSociety of Education Officers and SCSST in 1996, recommending measures to improve theteaching of mathematics in schools, and ‘Technology in Secondary Schools’ was published inMarch 1997. Discussion on technology in secondary education continued, although the GECdrew up new terms of reference early in 1998 to take account of the EngC’s overall interestsin the education of 3-19 year olds. This led to an EngC general education ‘Vision’ document.The GEC was involved in a Qualifications and Curriculum Agency (QCA) group looking atDesign & Technology in the National Curriculum, including A/AS level criteria.During 1998 the EngC also discussed its concerns over the National Curriculum withBaroness Blackstone (Minister for Education) in engineering higher and further educationand with Estelle Morris (Minister for Schools). In 1998 the EngC, through the BEP,contributed resources and support to engineering coordinating groups, including ScienceEngineering and Technology Network (SETNET) and Quinco (the campaign to promoteengineering).However, late in 1998 it became apparent that the subject of Design and Technology waslikely to be diluted in the statutory framework at Key Stage 4. Accordingly, Dr Rudge wrotedirectly to David Blunkett, Secretary of State for Education and Employment, expressingconcern at the proposals and this did result in some favourable amendments.The EngC published ‘Part One GNVQ in Engineering’ in December 1998.Technology Enhancement ProgrammeThe TEP had been extremely successful with its unit at Middlesex University now supplyinginformation and experimental kit at modest prices to more than 1000 schools.The contract from the Gatsby Charitable Trust to manage the TEP ended as originallyplanned in 1996, but the success of the enterprise meant that Dr John Williams, who hadmanaged the TEP for the EngC, transferred to Gatsby where the work continued under directGatsby management. In this case also, the General Education Committee acted as a link tothe BER. The ending of activities in collaboration with the Gatsby Charitable Foundation andthe EOSG caused a reduction of £1.3m of Gross Income Receivable by the EngC, althoughrelated commitments were reduced commensurately.Further and Higher EducationThe New BERIn 1996 the new Board for Engineers’ Regulation (BER) took over from the previous Boardfor Engineers’ Registration and assumed responsibility for implementing the final stage of theCouncil’s Review of Engineers’ Formation. This had been launched by a discussiondocument in 1993, resulting in the subsequent ‘Competence and Commitment’ statement ofJanuary 1995 [see Chapter 5] prepared for the BER by its then Director, Professor KeithFoster.The first Chairman of the new BER was Senator Robin Wilson, a former President of theICE. The powers of the new BER, provided under the Bye-Laws, as we have already seen,were to set standards and criteria for registration, maintain discipline and appropriate conductwithin the profession, determine which organisations could become Nominated Bodies,© Engineering Council UK 2004