Shakira Martin | FE Week

London colleges hit with strikes – but exams go on

London has been a hotbed of industrial unrest this week – but the Association of Colleges is claiming that strikes at colleges across the capital have had no negative impact on learners sitting exams. Members of the University and College Union took action at Lambeth College, Lewisham Southwark College and the Capital City College Group, […]

Hughes criticises DfE for claiming university regulator has FE representation

The government and its former universities minister are under fire for “worrying” confusion over FE college representation on the board of the new higher education regulator. During a bitter parliamentary debate on January 8, ex-minister Jo Johnson claimed that FE was represented on the board of the Office for Students in the form of Monisha […]

I’ll give FE learners a louder voice nationally

Writing exclusively for FE Week, Shakira Martin, the new president-elect of the NUS discusses her ambitious plans to represent students of all stripes by leaning on her own background in further rather than higher education I sat down for breakfast with my two daughters over the weekend, back to normality after the rollercoaster of NUS […]

Emily Chapman elected as new NUS VP for FE

The FE sector has a new student champion, with Emily Chapman winning today’s election to become the National Union of Students’ new vice-president for FE. The Leeds City College student union president beat challenger Myriam Kane, who had served as union president at Lewisham Southwark College, at this year’s annual conference in Brighton. It comes […]

Meet the candidates for new NUS vice president for FE

In around 24 hours the FE sector will have a new representative, when the National Union of Students chooses its next vice president for FE at this year’s national conference in Brighton. The election vote will take place at 12:15 tomorrow (April 26), with results announced soon after. Voters will choose between Emily Chapman, student […]

BREAKING: FE champion Shakira Martin standing for NUS president

The top job at the National Union of Students is in the sights of Shakira Martin, currently vice president for FE, who has confirmed she is running for president in the April 2017 elections. Ms Martin made the announcement at noon today (March 7) on her Facebook and Twitter accounts with a short video (see […]

PM’s mental health first aid training pledge only for schools, not colleges

The Prime Minister’s pledge to roll out mental health first aid training to education staff working with young people will not cover the FE sector. Theresa May (pictured left) spoke out yesterday about a “burning injustice of mental health and inadequate treatment” at the Charity Commission annual meeting at the Royal Society in London yesterday (January […]

Student focus for Sir Vince Cable’s FE comeback

An FE comeback for Sir Vince Cable will see him lead a new research project for the National Union of Students into how major reforms coming for the sector should be tailored for learners. The former business secretary, who told Liberal Democrats’ conference delegates two years ago that he was responsible for blocking moves in […]