'T-levels, not Tory Leader': Nadhim Zahawi explains TL lapel badge
17 January 2022, 11:11
Nadhim Zahawi on T Levels
On Monday morning Nick Ferrari interviewed Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi who was pictured wearing a curious badge, which left the public questioning what it meant.
Nick pointed out to his listeners that Mr Zahawi was wearing a badge on his lapel with the initials "TL".
"Which I assume stand for 'Tory Leader', this is clearly your bid now to usurp the Prime Minister, Nadhim Zahawi you believe you are the next Prime Minister and Tory leader, just say yes," Nick quipped.
Dismissing the idea he wanted the top Tory job, Mr Zahawi replied that initials stood for "T-Levels".
The Education Secretary told LBC if he did his job properly then "T-levels will be as famous as A-levels."
He explained the T-level was a "fusion between an apprenticeship and an A-level" with more universities accepting them as qualifications.
Recounting the experience of one pupil, Mr Zahawi said he believed the qualification was "making a real difference to the skills agenda in our country."
"I need your listeners to tell their kids, their grandkids to look at the opportunity of a T-level and not just an A-level," Mr Zahawi said.
Burnham: If academic exams are scrapped then so should vocational ones
Announced by the government, T Levels are new courses which follow GCSEs and are equivalent to 3 A levels. The 2-year courses, which launched September 2020, have been developed in collaboration with employers and businesses so that the content meets the needs of industry and prepares students for work, further training or study.
T Levels offer students a mixture of classroom learning and ‘on-the-job’ experience during an industry placement of at least 315 hours (approximately 45 days).
