About EMA
The Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) is a means-tested allowance of between £10 and £30, paid to 16- to 19-year-olds who stay on in education.
Rolled out nationally in September 2004, EMA is intended to help with the cost of books, travel, equipment or anything useful to the continuation of learning. It’s paid straight into the pupil’s bank account, not their parents or their college, giving them independence and forcing them to take charge of a small weekly budget. The payments are under the condition that they attend classes regularly. If the pupil works hard or achieves good grades, there is the opportunity to earn bonuses.
EMA is available to 16-19 year olds who come from low income families and whose household’s net income is below £30,000 pa. There is an additional grant for those students from families household income is up to and below £20,000 pa. EMA currently exists all across the UK although the administering of it is devolved to the regional parliaments of Scotland and Northern Ireland.
About Save EMA
The Save EMA campaign aims to:
- Get every party to be as clear as possible about where they stand on EMA;
- Get those parties who oppose EMA to change their policy;
- Give a voice to those students currently receiving EMA to enable them to express support for it;
- Increase awareness of EMA and its benefits.
Note: Next year sees the 100th anniversary of the 1911 Children's Strikes. Further information (from the BBC) HERE
I am trying desperately to find Andy Burnham's email address to mention a few key points on this, which I feel he ought to raise in the Commons. As shadow Education minister I really do think he ought to be making more of the EMA "Guarantee".
ReplyDeleteThis effectively "gaurantees" a student in receipt of EMA the amount awarded to them, until they "complete" their course of study up to the age of 19, as long as they continue to meet all the criteria on a weekly basis.
Surely therefore the Condems plan to remove EMA from students who have just begun their A levels breaches this guarantee, and therefore the plan to remove it halfway through their course of study should be challenged in court.
Thanks for your message. Here are Andy Burnham's contact details:
ReplyDeleteRt Hon Andy Burnham MP
House of Commons
London
SW1A 0AA
Tel: 020 7219 8250
Fax: 020 7219 4381
Personal Email: burnhama@parliament.uk