Students ‘could suffer without EMA’
Schools that offer the education maintenance allowance (EMA) to encourage students to attend classes could see cuts to the system, which one expert has deemed not beneficial for the future.
A spokesperson from Push.co.uk, an independent guide to UK education, suggested that scrapping the EMA initiative could cost a lot more in the long term.
Johnny Rich, editor of the website, said: "It is much cheaper to give people money to go and get qualifications than it is to give them the dole. At the end of the EMA they have something to show for themselves."
He added that individuals will suffer if the EMA is cut and this will result in lost lives to unemployment and reduced opportunities to get into work.
All evidence suggests that getting rid of the funding for lower-income families would have negative effects on the education of those in question, according to Mr Rich.
The government recommends that students should look to their schools and colleges for funding schemes as the EMA initiative closed to new applicants on January 1st.
