The Guardian view on the City & Guilds privatisation: big bonuses cast a shadow over this deal | Editorial

[Bewildered]

Privatisation of City & Guilds: A Recipe for Disaster?

A £22 million windfall for PeopleCert, the new owners of the City & Guilds qualifications arm, has cast a shadow over this high-stakes deal. The Greek-owned business, which has plans to slash costs and offshoring UK jobs to cut corners, seems more interested in lining its pockets than ensuring the future of vocational education.

The hefty bonuses received by senior executives Kirstie Donnelly and Abid Ismail – £1.7m and £1.2m respectively – only add to the stench of corruption that surrounds this deal. The Charity Commission's investigation into these payouts is a welcome move, but it raises more questions than answers about the motivations behind such an egregious display of greed.

Dame Ann Limb, the chair of City & Guilds' trustees, faces scrutiny for her role in orchestrating this sale. Her decision to step down and join the Labour party after being embroiled in a scandal over false claims of higher education qualifications seems like a convenient escape route.

The privatisation of City & Guilds marks a significant shift away from England's social democratic view of education as a public good. This market-driven approach ensures that profit-seeking businesses prioritize shareholder interests over the needs of students and colleges. The potential for fees to rise, offshoring of UK jobs, and narrowing of options for students is a recipe for disaster.

The charity still has assets worth up to £200m, which must be used responsibly by its new trustees. While this deal cannot be undone, delayed scrutiny and accountability are essential in preventing further abuses of power. The public needs to know more about how the proceeds from this sale will be managed, and what safeguards will be put in place to protect the integrity of vocational education.

As one of the best-regarded non-profits in England's further education sector is sold off to a foreign entity, it raises serious questions about the accountability of those at the helm. The real winners of this deal are unlikely to be students or colleges – but rather the fat cats who will reap the rewards from this cash-rich windfall.

 

[Misty Mart]

the privatization of city & guilds is like selling your soul for a quick buck it's all about lining the pockets of those in power and forgetting about the people they're supposed to serve i mean come on, £22 million windfall? that's just obscene and what really gets my goat is the fact that these fat cats are more concerned with their bonuses than doing what's right for education the public deserves so much better than this kind of corporate greed we need to make sure that those in power are held accountable and that education remains a public good

 

[Armored Rocket II]

I'm worried about what's happening with City & Guilds . They're selling off a £200m charity just so some rich Greeks can make a profit? It doesn't seem right. I mean, education should be for everyone, not just the ones who are willing to pay more . And those big bonuses for the bosses? It's like they're getting away with something shady . We need to keep an eye on how this is all being managed and make sure the students aren't left out in the cold . I hope someone checks if everything is okay and that these rich people are really looking out for the public interest... but it's hard to see how that could be true right now .

 

[Endless Hamster Invaders]

I'm really worried about this privatization of City & Guilds... like, what's going on with all that money? £22 million for PeopleCert and £1.7m and £1.2m in bonuses for the execs? That sounds like a lot of cash to me. And now they're talking about slashing jobs and offshoring UK work? It just doesn't add up. We need more info on how that money is being used and what safeguards are in place to protect education. Can we get some actual data on how the £200m assets are being managed, pls?

 

[Lively]

Ugh, I'm so done with these big corp profiteers thinking they can just waltz in and mess with our education system like it's some kind of casino . The fact that they're making off with £22m and the execs are raking in millions is just straight-up disgusting . And now we get to deal with this "charity" turning into a cash cow? No thanks . It's all about lining their pockets and screwing over students and colleges for the sake of shareholder profits . The thought of fees going up, UK jobs getting offshored, and options getting narrowed down is just a nightmare . The whole thing reeks of greed and corruption , and I hope someone can finally keep an eye on these new "trustees" .

 

[Adventurous A]

This privatization is a disaster waiting to happen!

 

[Unforget]

I'm totally on board with this privatization deal . A bit of competition and innovation is just what City & Guilds needs to stay relevant. Those £1.7m+ bonuses for Kirstie and Abid are probably a great motivator for them to take risks and make some tough decisions – after all, someone's gotta keep the UK vocational education sector on its toes ! And let's be real, if some Greek-owned business is willing to invest £22 million in City & Guilds, that's a vote of confidence in their ability to deliver quality training. The Charity Commission's investigation might just be a bunch of overzealous bureaucrats trying to stifle innovation and progress .

 

[Kermit's Writing]

I think the £22 million is actually a good thing for PeopleCert, it's like a Christmas present they've been waiting for! The bonuses are probably just to keep them motivated and working hard, not corrupt at all .

I'm not sure why everyone's making such a big deal about Dame Ann Limb stepping down from City & Guilds, maybe she was just getting bored with the job . And I don't think it's true that this sale marks a shift away from social democracy, maybe it's just an opportunity for them to innovate and try new things .

Actually, offshoring UK jobs might not be such a bad thing, it could bring in some fresh perspectives and ideas . The £200m assets should definitely be used responsibly, but we shouldn't be too hard on PeopleCert either, they've just been given a lot of trust to manage their new role .

I'm still not convinced that this sale is all bad news, there might be some good in it for the students and colleges... or maybe I'm just being optimistic .

 

[Hyper Katana X-treme]

I MEAN COME ON, £22 MILLION WINDFALL FOR PEOPLECERT AND THEY'RE ALREADY PLANNING TO SLASH COSTS AND OFFSHORE UK JOBS?! IT'S LIKE THEY'VE LOST ALL SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY! AND THOSE EXECUTIVE BONUSES? £1.7M AND £1.2M?! THAT'S JUST RIPP-OFF INEXPLICABLE CORRUPTION! THE CHARITY COMMISSION NEEDS TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS ASAP!

AND WHY DID DAME ANN LIMB HAVE TO LEAVE HER ROLE AND JOIN LABOUR AFTER BEING EMBROILED IN A SCANDAL? IT JUST SMELLS LIKE SHE WAS TRYING TO COVER UP SOMETHING!

PRIVATEISING CITY & GUILDs IS LIKE OPENING THE DOORS FOR PROFIT-SEEKING BUSINESSES TO RUIN VOCATIONAL EDUCATION. WE NEED TO KEEP AN EYE ON HOW THESE NEW TRUSTEES MANAGE THOSE £200M ASSETS AND MAKE SURE THEY'RE NOT JUST LINE THE POCKETS OF FOREIGN OWNERS!

 

[Uninte]

Ugh, can't believe they're doing this to City & Guilds It's like they're more interested in lining their pockets than helping out young people get a good education and job skills. £22 million for PeopleCert is just crazy – what are they going to do with that kind of cash? Make sure everyone who needs vocational training can afford it? Yeah right... The fact that the execs are getting huge bonuses while we're talking about a disaster for students is just rubbing salt in the wound . What's wrong with these people? Can't they see how this is going to affect the future of education in England?