Tuesday, December 14, 2010

UK academics hold joint cuts protest


British academics fear the government's plans for cuts will have a negative impact on the north of the county and are to unite to fight against the plan.


The staff and students at Tresham College in Kettering are to unite for a peaceful protest to call for the Education Maintenance Allowance for the poor. 

Principal Mark Silverman has called for MPs support. 

"I am concerned at the Department of Education's decision to stop paying Education Maintenance Allowances to 16 to 18-year-olds in July 2011. I have written to the college's local MPs to ask for their support in seeking reconsideration of the matter. The allowance is vital in enabling learners from low income families to stay in full time education." 

The Education Maintenance Allowance is between £10 and £30 and is paid to poor 16 to 18-year-olds to enable them to continue their education, afford travel costs, equipment and books. 

"My cousin travels from Corby to Moulton College and if the allowance was axed she would never be able to afford to get there. If the Government can raise retirement age then they should help people achieve the career they want in order for them to want to work to the age of 65. If people are unhappy in a job unemployment statistics will rise in the long run," Evening Telegraph reader Rachel Norman said. 

Tresham College has tens of thousands of students in Kettering, Corby and Wellingborough, 635,000 of whom received the allowance last year. 

"Staff and learners at Tresham are protesting against Government plans to axe the allowance for college students in England. This will have a massive impact on those families in our communities who most need support to undertake education,” a spokesman for Tresham College said. 

"The allowance helps to support a huge increase in the number of young people from less well off backgrounds going on to college. Students in areas where people are more likely to have no qualifications are most dependent on the weekly financial support. Thousands of students could now be forced to reconsider studying at college." 

The peaceful protest is to be staged from midday to 1 p.m. Source

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