FORMER Minister of Education Estelle Morris will visit a college today to check on the progress of students.

Now Baroness Morris of Yardley, the former Cabinet minister is visiting East Durham and Houghall Community College, in Peterlee, in her capacity as pro vice-chancellor of the University of Sunderland.

The college runs a number of higher education courses in conjunction with the university, with 200 students studying for degree courses at the east Durham college, and the baroness will be examining the college's progress in delivering the courses.

College vice-principal Malcolm Fallow said: "The degree courses at the college are a genuine attempt to make higher education programmes more accessible to local people."