'70% would drop out' if EMA is scrapped

Seven in 10 poor teenagers would drop out of school if controversial plans to scrap the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) go ahead, research suggests.

And almost two-fifths (38%) say they would not have started their course had they not received the grant.

The EMA is a weekly payment of between £10 and £30 given to the poorest 16 to 18-year-olds, living in households earning under £30,800 a year, to help them stay in education.

But the Government has announced the grant is to be withdrawn, and it is has already been closed to new applicants.

The survey of more than 700 EMA recipients, conducted by the University and College Union with the Association of Colleges, found that 70% said they would have to drop out of their course if their grant was withdrawn.

Almost two-thirds (63%) said they received no other financial support from their family for meeting the cost of sixth form or college.

The findings come a day before an opposition day debate in Parliament, when MPs will vote on a motion that calls for the Government to rethink its plans for the EMA.

Students from sixth forms and colleges will be holding demonstrations against the abolition of the EMA on the day of the vote and a lobby in the House of Commons is planned. The action has been organised by trade unions.

They said studies have shown that the EMA is a key factor in improving participation in further education.

Colleges in some of the most deprived areas will be hit hard if the EMA is scrapped.

In some areas of Birmingham, Leicester and the North West as many as four-fifths of students receive the grant, the unions said.

UCU general secretary Sally Hunt said: "The results of this survey make a mockery of (Education Secretary) Michael Gove's claims that the EMA is a deadweight cost.

"EMAs make the difference between students being able to attend college and complete their course or being priced out."

Dave Prentis, general secretary of Unison said: "The axing of the EMA is a vicious attack on young people, their families and communities.

"EMA is not pocket money, it is vital support to the poorest students and allows them to buy books and pay for travel to college. Without this support many young people will be forced to drop out, or rely on their families to step in. For many families already facing pay freezes and job cuts this will simply not be possible.

"MPs must do the right thing and vote for the Government to rethink its savage plans."

Aaron Porter, president of the National Union of Students (NUS), said: "Scrapping EMA and other support for young people will destroy the aspirations of thousands of young people and the Government must take a step back and reconsider their plans."

A Department for Education spokesman said: "Already 96% of 16-year-olds and 94% of 17-year-olds participate in education, employment or training. We are committed to going further still, to full participation for all young people up to the age of 18 by 2015.

"EMA is a hugely expensive programme, costing over £560 million a year with costs of administration amounting to £36 million.

"Pilot evidence and more recent research from the National Foundation for Educational Research found that almost 90% of young people receiving the EMA believed that they would still have participated in the courses they were doing if they had not received it.

"Young people currently receiving the EMA will continue to receive if for the rest of the academic year. They will not receive it next academic year, however.

"Currently £26 million per year is given to schools, colleges and training providers as a discretionary learner support fund to enable them to make small payments to those young people who are most likely to drop out of education without support.

"After the EMA is abolished this fund will be significantly increased."

:: The poll questioned 713 EMA students between January 11 and 17.