In 2020, there were more than 12,000 vocational qualifications at all levels, offered by more than 150 awarding bodies, according to Ofqual, which oversees qualifications in England.
Plans by former Conservative governments to streamline post-16 education had meant many BTecs and other Level 3 courses were due to lose their funding, to make way for the new T-levels qualification.
However, days before the first changes to funding were due, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said the new Labour government would pause and review the plans.
Campaigners want this review to be extended further, to include BTecs and other qualifications which are due to be scrapped in the coming years.
The Sixth Form Colleges Association said Ms Phillipson’s announcement was “deeply disappointing” and was “not a pause to defunding” because it failed to change plans to scrap many courses.
Ms Phillipson has confirmed the rollout of T-levels will continue.
In the first three years, T-levels have faced delays, high dropout rates and an exam board being fined £300,000 over “major failings” with the papers.