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| Views sought on Education Maintenance Allowance in NI | Views sought on Education Maintenance Allowance in NI |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Stormont is seeking the public's views on plans to cut support grants to help teenagers from low-income families in Northern Ireland stay in education. | |
| The Education Maintenance Allowance scheme gives 16 to 19-year-olds a weekly payment of £10, £20 or £30. | The Education Maintenance Allowance scheme gives 16 to 19-year-olds a weekly payment of £10, £20 or £30. |
| It was scrapped in England last year, but learning minister Stephen Farry said Stormont departments were committed to retaining the scheme. | It was scrapped in England last year, but learning minister Stephen Farry said Stormont departments were committed to retaining the scheme. |
| The consultation sets out options which remove the £10 and £20 payments. | The consultation sets out options which remove the £10 and £20 payments. |
| The options have been described as "disastrous" by student representatives in Northern Ireland. | |
| The consultation follows a formal review, commissioned by the Department for Employment and Learning and the Department of Education, of whether the scheme is meeting its original objectives. | |
| Dr Farry said the research suggested that the money was a deciding factor for only a third of pupils. | Dr Farry said the research suggested that the money was a deciding factor for only a third of pupils. |
| "This indicates that the scheme could be better targeted at those young people from lower income families who otherwise would not have carried on with their post-16 education without the incentive of Education Maintenance Allowance," he said. | "This indicates that the scheme could be better targeted at those young people from lower income families who otherwise would not have carried on with their post-16 education without the incentive of Education Maintenance Allowance," he said. |
| Education minister John O'Dowd said: "We are determined that we target this support to where it is really needed, to ensure young people are not forced out of education and training for financial reasons." | Education minister John O'Dowd said: "We are determined that we target this support to where it is really needed, to ensure young people are not forced out of education and training for financial reasons." |
| Adrianne Peltz, president of the National Union of Students-Union of Students in Ireland, said: "I am extremely annoyed about the options announced in the consultation - they are nothing short of disastrous for young people here. | |
| "The scrapping of the two lower bands of EMA would hit thousands of students around Northern Ireland very hard. | |
| "Any cuts to EMA whatsoever will very seriously undermine NEET and skills strategies because when you slice away layers of support for students, you are effectively denying some people the chance to complete their studies as they won't be able to afford to. | |
| "Any cut could see many young people being forced to quit their course to find a job to help make ends meet." | |
| The government replaced the allowance in England last year, saying the £560m scheme was too expensive and poorly targeted. It was replaced by a £180m bursary scheme. | The government replaced the allowance in England last year, saying the £560m scheme was too expensive and poorly targeted. It was replaced by a £180m bursary scheme. |
| Scotland and Wales have phased out the lower rate of payments and withdrawn bonuses to students. | Scotland and Wales have phased out the lower rate of payments and withdrawn bonuses to students. |
| The consultation runs until 2 November. | The consultation runs until 2 November. |