Cash to boost further education

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Millions of pounds will be spent on widening access to further education.

The Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding Council has announced £555m for the sector.

The council said it was targeting more money to areas with lowest participation, as part of its strategy of targeted growth.

But college lecturers said the small amounts of money being given to encourage people in poorer areas into further education was not enough.

The sector will receive a £19m (4%) increase in funding for learning and teaching compared with 2007-08. This provides for inflation at 2.7%.

'Widening access'

All 43 colleges will receive an increase in funding, though some will receive a below-inflation rise based on changes in their student population.

Funding council chairman John McClelland said: "The council is pleased to be announcing increased funding for the college sector for 2008-09 and to be making allocations which are aligned with and support the key strategic priorities in the council's corporate plan.

"I am particularly pleased that we have been able to allocate substantial funding towards widening and increasing equity of access to Scotland's world-class education system."

Colleges will also be able to provide increased support to students who need help with living and study costs through a grant of £72m - an increase of 3.8% on 2007-08 - for bursaries, discretionary and childcare funding.

The £555m funding package includes its current contribution to a three-year, £3m programme to fund additional places in colleges in the west Highlands, central and the south of Scotland, where participation is lowest.

Colleges will have to think very carefully about how this money can best be spent Howard McKenzieAssociation of Scotland's Colleges

The funding council will also continue to support previously announced growth in the Lanarkshire and Dunbartonshire areas.

The sector will also receive further investment of more than £89m of capital funding to improve facilities and modernise estates.

Howard McKenzie, acting chief executive of the Association of Scotland's Colleges (ASC), said: "The above inflation increase in learning and teaching support will allow the sector to continue to deliver and improve on what it does best.

"However, colleges have not grown for seven years and in that same period the economy has grown by almost 15%. Businesses and individuals are demanding more from their colleges.

"The targeted strategic growth set out in this year's funding settlement will help areas where people are at a significant disadvantage, but the whole sector needs to be able to grow if we are to address the skills needs of a 21st Century Scotland.

"The small amounts of funding allocated to selected priority areas are not helpful and colleges will have to think very carefully about how this money can best be spent to achieve ambitious targets."