The coalition government have been met with a lot of controversy

recently with the huge increase in tuition fees resulting in violent protests

from students. However, flying low under the radar so far has been the plan to

cut the £30 a week Education Maintenance

Allowance (EMA)hand out to 16 to 18-year-olds who come from poorer

families.

This means that fewer students from poorer families will have the

opportunity to further their education after the age of 16. Many pupils from the

Westminster borough are among those who will miss out after recent published

reports suggest.

The Young People’s Learning Agency revealed that 1,283 young people in

Westminster currently receive an EMA, including 226 young people at Quintin

Kynaston School, 123 at St Marylebone School, 112 at Grey Coat School,

101 at Westminster City School

and 97 at Pimlico Academy.

The amount received by students is calculated by the total income the

household takes in. For example a student who comes from a family whose

household income is less than £20,817 a year would receive £30 a week. The EMA

though is currently due to be scrapped in England from January 2011.

We’d like to like to what you think about this. Do you receive an EMA?

Is this an unfair cut the government are making? Let us know.