A report on the transparency of qualification fees
Thursday, 25 November 2010 10:34
Today we published a report exploring the options for increasing the transparency of the fees charged for qualifications.
The report, Increasing the Transparency of Qualification Fees by Reckon LLP, looks at different standardised methods of comparing prices that could be introduced. It also investigates the advantages and disadvantages of advanced publication of fees a minimum of a year ahead of registration.
Under the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009, one of Ofqual's key objectives is to secure efficiency and value for money in regulated qualifications. The findings of this report have informed Ofqual's current consultation on economic regulation and the fee capping process which identifies lack of fee transparency as a potential indicator of inefficiency.
The Economic Regulation and the Fee-capping Process consultation is available on the Ofqual website and will run until Monday, 31st January, 2011.
ends
Notes
1. The Transparency of Qualification Fees report can be downloaded from this page.
2. Today's report follows two previous studies related to Ofqual's role as economic regulator of the qualifications system that were published in July: Markets for Regulated Qualifications by Frontier Economics and the Collection of Economic and Financial Information.
3. This study by Reckon LLP was commissioned by Ofqual to investigate whether there are measures that might be taken to increase the transparency of fees charged for qualifications.
Reckon were asked to investigate:
- Whether it would be possible to develop a standardised method of comparing the overall price of individual qualifications that could be used by learners and centres, for example on a price comparison website
- The costs and benefits of requiring prices for all qualifications to be published one or three years in advance
- If there are other impediments to qualifications price transparency.
Reckon’s findings have informed our consultation on Economic Regulation and the Fee-capping Process, which identifies lack of fee transparency as a potential indicator of inefficiency. Our draft recognition conditions include a number of specific requirements for fee transparency and advanced publication that we propose awarding organisations will need to comply with.
