General Discussion
This is a matter of importance if you have children or grandchildren or know of young people aged 16-19 who want to continue their education after they have completed their GCSE's and if they live, for example, in somewhere like Dawlish where they have no option but to travel outside the town to, say, Exeter College or a VIth form college. From what I can gather many of our 16-18 year olds who wish to continue with their education either go to Exeter College or attend the grammar school VIth form in Torquay. Can I ask that if you are concerned about the negative effects of the EMA being abolished that you make representations to that effect to our MP - Anne-Marie Morris. Tel: 01626 368277. Address: 2 Salisbury House, Salisbury Road, Newton Abbot TQ12 2DF email: annemarie@annemariemorris.co.uk See below for some more info - it's the situation as I see it. The EMA, an allowance payable to 16-18 year olds in full-time education or training and from low-income families, must have been a life-line into Further Education for many of our young people and I feel sure its loss will be greatly felt and not least by those who live in the more rural parts of the country, such as Devon, where many 16-18 year olds have no option but to travel quite some distance to the larger urban areas in order to continue their post 16 education. With the abolition of the EMA not only will our young people therefore no longer have any help with these, their essential, travelling costs but if they are rail users they will shortly be incurring even greater expense due to an increase in rail fares. Others, who are bus users, may also find their travel costs increasing due to a possible withdrawal, partial or total, of bus travel subsidies from Devon County Council because of a reduction in the monies made available to it by central government. I understand the removal of the EMA was seen as a cost saving measure and believe it is being replaced by a new scheme called the Learner Support Fund. This fund will be available via schools, colleges and training providers. The details of this new scheme are still not known but I take it that not as much money will be available from it as from the EMA. I say this because if the EMA was abolished in order to save money then it follows that the LSF will not be as well funded, will it? Otherwise their will be no saving, will there? Therefore those who would have qualified for help from the EMA may well not do so from the LSF. Given that Devon is a mainly rural county and given also that it is has quite a low-paid economy there are no doubt many families needing financial help if their 16-18 year olds are to continue in education. If no help is forthcoming then it is likely that such young people may well end up adding to the NEET statistics (NEET = not in employment, education or training). Do we want that? I don’t think so. Do the politicans want that? I imagine not. So how will they ensure that not one of our 16-18 years olds is prevented from attending further education because lack of family finance doesn't run to funding the travelling expenses let alone any other associated costs. After all, it isn’t the fault of our young people if they live in a predominantly rural county and/or come from a less privileged background, is it?
TCC already have a sixth form, the problem is that not all schools are able to offer the courses that the colleges do. Seems to me that successive governments want our kids to go to further education but they make it hard to do so - bonkers!
From today's Express & Echo Pupil payment cut 'could swell dole queue' fears Exeter MP. EXETER MP Ben Bradshaw fears that scrapping a cash payment to encourage teenagers to stay in education will lead to a surge in youth unemployment in Devon. Last year, about 21,900 Devon and Cornwall students claimed the education maintenance allowance, a weekly payment of up to £30 to help sixth formers from struggling families. It is claimed families in the region will be hit hardest as the money often helps pay for bus and train fares to get to college from remote communities. And with cuts to rural bus services as a result of the spending review, critics claim youngsters in the region will be forced back into unskilled work or have to join the dole queue. Mr Bradshaw said: "EMA has played an important part in encouraging young people, particularly those from less well off backgrounds, to stay in education after 16 and improve their qualifications. David Cameron said before the election he wouldn't cut it – one more broken promise to add to the long and growing list." The allowance, aimed at those in 16-19 education, dates back to 1944. It was revised by the Labour government into a means-tested national scheme. Abolishing the allowance was followed by plans to increase university tuition fees, with critics claiming that university education is now out of many more people's reach. At Prime Minister's Questions last week, Mr Cameron was accused twice over reneging an explicit promise to keep the education maintenance allowance. But the Prime Minister said the Government was dealing with "completely broken public finances", and that the "learner support fund" would help students in need.
Towards the end of my original posting I talk of associated costs as well as travelling costs. Now I can give you an example of associated costs. Last night Exeter College held an open evening. My daughter and some of her friends went along. My daughter knows what it is she wants to do and just now I looked at the literature she brought home. There is a paragraph headed "How Much Will It Cost Me" It reads: * As part of the programme a second year residential is planned. There will be a cost of approximately £360. * Students will pay for their own stationary and printing. * Textbooks for the course cost £50 * A number of visits and organised events are part of the course on which all students will be expected to participatge and fund. * All students on this course will be expected to purchase a uniform costing approximately £40. Guess I should be grateful that she has no wish to go to university!
Two days ago, Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Education, announced details about the new scheme which is to replace the EMA.
Have a read of this link.
http://blogs.channel4.com/factcheck/factcheck-bad-marks-for-gove-on-ema/6089