EMAs are paid to young people 16-19 years old who are in full time education at school or further education college. The EMA is worth £30 a week and is means tested against total taxable household income. Payments are only made when you have 100% weekly attendance.
Our young people from the most low income households face the biggest challenge in obtaining employment, and accessing education or training. Scottish Labour introduced EMA’s to give these youngsters the financial support they need to benefit from education and to better equip them to get a job. Therefore, this significant reduction in college students receiving an EMA, particularly young women, is very worrying.
Our young people from the most low income households face the biggest challenge in obtaining employment, and accessing education or training. Scottish Labour introduced EMA’s to give these youngsters the financial support they need to benefit from education and to better equip them to get a job. Therefore, this significant reduction in college students receiving an EMA, particularly young women, is very worrying.
One of the likely reasons for this fall is that many applicants for places at Further Education College were not able to access the course they wanted in their local college. This was evidenced in the mounting numbers of applicants left stranded on waiting lists because courses and places have been reduced.
The Scottish Government should not be putting up barriers to the participation of students from low income households in further education. It’s time to reverse their cuts in funding for the Colleges of Further Education, including Dundee College.
