John Chowcat, general secretary of children's services union Aspect, said government should have streamlined, not scrapped, Becta.
"The government has made a very serious mistake by axing Becta," he said. "It's not perfect but it had the most potential of all the quangos to make savings."
Chowcat claimed that private companies would jump at the chance to fill Becta's advisory role, which could deprive schools and colleges of unbiased guidance on purchasing technology.
Matt Dean, technology manager at the Association of Colleges, said Becta's success in raising awareness about technology in education was unparalleled.
"It was the only agency working with a whole-organisation approach to the use of technology," he said. "There can be little doubt that its role should, in some form, continue to exist."
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
