PRESS RELEASE
June 1st, 2010
Bursary blow for students
Greenock and Inverclyde MSP has called for a re-think on student bursary allocations after more than 2,000 students at James Watt College had their final monthy instalment halved.
The MSP has written to Minister for Lifelong Learning Keith Brown asking for him to look into the bursary situation at James Watt, which has run out of funds and isn't able to pay the full entitlement.
He believes colleges are struggling to cope with the increasing demand put on them by the economic recession.
Mr McNeil has also put down a motion in support of the students, some of which have lost out on around £300.
He said: " This funding shortfall clearly leaves many students and their families in a difficult position at a time when household budgets are already squeezed.
"It is clear that colleges like James Watt are struggling to cope with the increasing demand and changing profile of students and are unable to offer them the level of support that they would like.
"I have asked the Minister for Lifelong Learning Keith Brown to look into the method of calculating bursary levels so that students can be guaranteed appropriate funding to allow them to make the best of their studies."
Copy of motion
Short title: Bursary cuts at James Watt College -
That the parliament recognises the importance of further education colleges like the James Watt College in Greenock, welcomes the opportunities they provide to people from all backgrounds to learn new skills and better themselves, acknowledges that many students would be unable to undertake their studies without financial support through bursaries, is disappointed that James Watt College was only able to pay 50 per cent of its bursary instalment to students during the month of June due to a lack of funds, affecting more than 2,000 students, and believes it is time to examine the method of calculating bursary allocations to better reflect the changing profile of further education students and the increased demand for funding support.