The Petition of students and staff of Swallow Hill Community College, and others,
Declares that the Petitioners oppose the abolition of the Education Maintenance Allowance; and further declares that the Petitioners oppose the Government’s decision to raise Higher Education tuition fees.
The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Government to reverse its decisions to abolish the Education Maintenance Allowance and to raise Higher Education tuition fees.
And the Petitioners remain, etc.—[Presented by Rachel Reeves, Official Report, 18 January 2011; Vol. 521, c. 812.]
[P000879]
Observations from the Secretary of State for Education:
The Chancellor announced on 20 October that we would be ending the EMA scheme. The EMA scheme closed to new applicants on 1 January 2011 and will close entirely at the end of the 2010-11 academic year. We intend to replace it, from September 2011, with a more efficient and effective package of financial support which is more closely targeted on those who face genuine financial barriers to participation.
In coming to this decision the Government have looked closely at evaluation evidence and other research carried out by the previous Labour Government, which shows that around 90% of recipients would have stayed on after 16 even if they had not received EMA.
We are maintaining the commitment to full participation and to raising the participation age. In replacing the EMA, we want colleges, schools and training organisations to be able to make sure that those students who need support the most will receive it.
Our proposals to reform higher education funding and student finance incorporate a range of measures to ensure that students from poorer backgrounds can have full and fair access to a higher education. This includes the fact that the Government will provide the up-front finance for anyone eligible who secures a place at university so that graduates do not have to contribute to the cost of their higher education until they are earning more than £21,000.
We are also proposing a generous student support package to help full-time students with living costs. The poorest students will be able to get more non-repayable grant than under the current system and most full-time students should have no less overall support for living costs than they do now.
We are asking universities and colleges that want to charge above £6,000 per annum (and subject to a limit of £9,000 in exceptional circumstances) for any or all of their courses first to secure the agreement of the Office for Fair Access, and meet tough new access conditions. And we have announced a new £150 million National Scholarship Programme to attract bright students from disadvantaged backgrounds to help them access universities and guarantee them extra support to help them meet the costs of going to university.
Good quality and diverse higher education is a benefit to society and to the economy in the long term. These proposals will ensure that our world-class higher education sector has the sustainable long-term funding it needs and that those who can benefit from a higher education have the opportunity to participate.