To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 2 September 2020 to Question 77609 on Digital Technology: Training, where the (a) details of the new entitlement which will ensure adults, aged 19 and over, with no or low digital skills can study for specified qualifications in essential digital skills up to Level 1 free of charge, and (b) new August 2020 national standards can be found.
Answered on
10 September 2020
This government recognises the importance of digital skills for employability and participation in society. That is why we have introduced a legal entitlement to essential digital skills qualifications, which mirrors the existing legal entitlements for English and maths, so adults with no or low digital skills will have the opportunity to undertake new digital qualifications free of charge. Further details can be found in the Education and Skills Funding Agency’s (ESFA) Qualification Funding Approval Manual 2020 to 2021, available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/qualification-funding-approval. The Adult Education Budget Funding and Performance Management Rules 2020 to 2021 also provide further detail and are available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/adult-education-budget-aeb-funding-rules-2020-to-2021.
The new digital entitlement for adults was introduced in August 2020 supported by new Essential Digital Skills qualifications (EDSQs) at entry level and level 1. EDSQs are a new qualification type designed to meet the diverse needs of adults with no or low digital skills. These are based on new national standards for essential digital skills published in April 2019, which set out the digital skills people need to get on in life and work. These standards are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-standards-for-essential-digital-skills.
A list of the EDSQs which are included in the digital entitlement for post 19 learners can be found by searching the ESFA’s list of qualifications approved for funding at: https://www.qualifications.education.gov.uk/Search.