diversity of provision
| Colleges may only do those things which the Further and Higher Education Act, 1992 empowers them to do. Their principal power is to provide learning and skills and, while the Act allows them to do other things, these must clearly support the exercise of this principal power. Post-compulsory learning is delivered through a range of different organisations and institutions eg
There are 381 colleges in FE colleges provide education and training to over 4 million of the 6 million learners participating in post-statutory education and training, offering lifelong learning opportunities for school leavers and adults over a vast range of academic and vocational qualifications. Levels of study range from the basic skills needed to remedy disadvantage, through to professional qualifications and higher education degrees. The FE system employs around 250,000 staff in colleges whose size varies considerably. Some small colleges may cater for only a few hundred learners whilst the larger colleges may cater for over 50,000. Budgets may vary from around £1 million to over £50 million.
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