Education Funding
Posted by Nick Harvey, MP for North Devon, at 16:07, Mon 24 January 2011:
Dear Fellow Local Resident,
Many thanks for all of your responses to my last email. It seems that many people still use cheques and worry about what might replace them, but some are concerned at the cost to businesses to process them.
I will of course keep you updated on any developments on this matter.
Parliament is back after the Christmas recess and we start the year in a similar way to how 2010 ended – debating education and the funding given to students.
Last week saw the House looking at EMA, (Educational Maintenance Allowance) and how to ensure pupils from less well-off backgrounds aren’t put off continuing their education. I completely support the principle behind this allowance, but the way that it has been operated gives cause for concern in terms of how effective it is as well as how fair it is.
At a time when the Government is having to make cuts to deal with the record public deficit, it is vitally important that support is targeted effectively and that the system works as it should, supporting those who are most in need. We are working to close the gap in achievement between the poorest and the wealthiest at schools and colleges.
I was pleased to see that the Government pledged to fund an increase in educational places for 16 to 19 year olds in England, and are raising the compulsory participation age to 18 by the end of this Parliament. Through these measures, along with an enhanced discretionary learner support fund, we are replacing the EMA with more targeted and effective support.
We’ve also announced a £2.5 billion Pupil Premium for England, which will be targeted directly at schools to encourage them to take on pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds. Poverty in childhood should not mean poverty for life, and the Pupil Premium will help to ensure that children from disadvantaged backgrounds are given the best possible educational opportunities.
It’s good to see that decision-making about which young people should receive financial support will be handed over to schools, colleges and training providers, who are in a better position than the Government to determine the needs of individual students, but I’d be interested to know your views on this matter.
What can we do to encourage people to stay on in further education, and how can we ensure that those who need a bit extra financial help get it fairly?
As always, if you want to get in touch, please feel free to email me on mail@nickharveymp.com or telephone my office on 01271 328631.
Kind regards,
Nick
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Posted by Rob Schofield, 17:19, Mon 24 January 2011: (Is this post abusive?) #
My view is that the Lib Dems should have kept to their pre-election commitments. I'm still reeling from so many u-turns and unfortunately for the Lib Dems and Mr. Harvey my first foray into tactical voting (in this year's election) will be my last. I emailed Mr. Harvey shortly after the general election urging him not to support a coalition government. I didn't even receive a reply explaining why he did so. What a thoroughly depressing and disenfranchising situation.
Posted by John Pearson, 17:35, Mon 24 January 2011: (Is this post abusive?) #
It is regrettable that Nick Harvey is a member of a Government which is so unbelievably inept. For example, many schools have always taken in pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds, while other schools do their utmost to exclude them, by one means or another. It appears that in this case money talks, so I envisage some of our local Comprehensives losing pupils as they are filched by Eton, Harrow or perhaps Blundells in Tiverton. Such schools will be very selective in whom they take, leaving the local schools, as always, to deal with the children with additional needs, mental health problems and the like. In the words of Gerald Manley Hopkins, "Be beginning to despair, to despair, to despair." At what point, Mr Harvey, will you say that "Enough is enough", and cease your support of this destructive coalition?
Posted by C Papineschi, 19:24, Mon 31 January 2011: (Is this post abusive?) #
Perhaps you should stop helping the Conservatives rush stuff through without conducting proper impact assessments. How can anyone have had the time it takes to assess what should be cut or how things should be rearranged? Now doctors are going to be setting their own budgets. They aren't even being trained for as long as they used to be to become medically trained. Where are they supposed to magic the mathematical skills and accountancy know how from to manage budgets? This is life and death stuff. Doctors are only trained for their side of it. How ridiculous.