Education funding gap being exacerbated by Scottish Government

The Scottish Funding Council has published the details of how much money universities and colleges will receive in the 2011-12 academic year, with the main teaching grant for Universities receiving a cash cut of 10.9%.

Liz Smith MSP, Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Education & Lifelong Learning, said:

"This situation is deeply worrying and has been exacerbated by the Scottish Government's determination to kick the issue into the long grass. By avoiding making the difficult decisions ahead of the upcoming election, it has decided to put party before country.

"The Green Paper published last week did not take a single step towards addressing the real funding gap and has already been dismissed as no more than a political ploy by experts such as Sir Andrew Cubie and Lord Sutherland.

"The Scottish Conservatives have been clear for months now about our position; we would introduce a graduate contribution which would be paid back once a given threshold in earnings had been reached. This would be paid back at a very affordable rate and is neither an up-front fee nor a graduate tax. Our proposal would make more money available to offer further financial support for the least well-off.

"It is time other parties caught up with us and started coming out with real solutions to this very real problem."

In the Scotland on Sunday from this week Sir Andrew Cubie said:

"This is too late. We really should have had an opportunity of having something before now. We are in the position where we are now, being reactive to the Browne proposals, rather than having been out in the lead in creating a Scottish solution."

I suggest that what we need in different and very constrained times is the recognition that there needs to be a graduate contribution and for far wider purposes than just supporting disadvantaged students"

Lord Sutherland also said:

"It's clear to me that there is a political decision going on rather than a real one about the priorities. They are gearing up not to say anything specific before the next election. I don't think it is credible. They do need to raise money other than through the public purse"

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