EMA: Education Maintenance Allowance

“For Barking & Dagenham College this means 44% of our current 16-18 year olds in receipt of EMAs would not have this support in September. Of our current 19+ learners who are entitled to free tuition, 93% would not be entitled in September, because they are not on an ‘active benefit’, e.g. Jobseeker’s Allowance. Hence it is important that we all lobby councillors who have discussed this at their Assembly on the 8 December and your MPs.”
- Barking & Dagenham College Principal & CEO Cathy Walsh

Case study:

Like Alfie, Ariadny Wasconcelos is studying construction at Barking & Dagenham College. Ariadny is in receipt of the £30 a week EMA and has just turned 16, “I’m the baby of the class,” she said.

What does the EMA help with?

 ”Transport especially, and I can help out at home with my parents. My Dad’s jobs are on and off and my Mum is literally working by herself.

 ”It’s good to save up for University as well. It just really helps – basically around everything, every expense.”

 And if it’s cancelled?

 ”It will be more difficult than it is now. It will change a lot of things. Christmas is coming and you want to buy something for your parents, for everything they’ve done for you, just be able to give them that bit of satisfaction, say that you’re grateful.

“I’d say it is a very big mistake not giving students the EMA. It’s not even given to the students that don’t need it. It is only given to the students that do need it. It’s just wrong, cancelling the EMA.”

At Barking & Dagenham we feel so strongly about this issue, that we are opening up our blog to the public for the first time. Scroll down to “Leave a Reply” and let us know what you think.

• News: Further education learners face EMA axe.
• For more on the Save EMA campaign see:
• http://saveema.co.uk/ (link opens in a new window) and
• http://emacampaign.org.uk/ (link opens in a new window)
• Association of Colleges and partners highlight EMA benefits (link opens in a new window)

Published Tuesday 14 December 2010