Ema

hm71_2

poet123 wrote: »

Well what a hornets nest you have stirred up! I am a lecturer in an FE college and I disagree with EMA. Many(though obviously not all) students would certainly not be there but for EMA but that is not a positive,they simply put of the dreaded hour when they have to join the real world and work.

Although they may attend,they do minimal work and make a nuisance of themselves and disrupt others who do want to work. They keep their behaviour just inside the limits required, but cause us all loads of extra work. When the EMA ends they find a job....it was never their intention to take education any further, and but for EMA would not have bothered.

EMA is spent in the bar,and on clothes......not on educational supplies or living expenses.

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I'm sorry poet but I feel strongly about your comments, I know you said "obviously not all students" but in my sons case the ema will help greatly to cover the costs of books etc... and certainly doesn't go in the bar- he has a little p/t job that covers other things. I'm sure thats the case with lots of students in all situations its a few bad apples sour the lot. same could be said of all benefits, each person should be assessed by the own merits.

pulliptears

Last year I returned to full time education at the grand old age of 33. I studied Art at A Level.

As a mature student I had to pay course fee's, fair enough. OH earns just slightly over the £30,000 cut off. I wasnt able to claim any help whatsoever despite being really close to the breadline some months. They dont take into account our mortgage, our bills and outgoings or our 2 kids. They just see the "magic number" and assume we must be rolling in it. I couldnt even get any help with materials etc.

While all this is happening Im carer for my terminally ill Dad, so any part time work is out of the question. Again, I was refused help.

Through sheer determination, the help of my husband and family and some wonderful tutors I passed my A Level and was accepted at Uni to do my Graphic Design Degree. This time I was elidgable for a small grant, its not much but it will help, although i have had to take a huge loan.....

fanmail321123

pulliptears I have huge respect for you, you're futhering yourself even with financial and emotional difficulties, we should strive to be like that. Thanks for helping!

pulliptears

fanmail321123 wrote: »

pulliptears I have huge respect for you, you're futhering yourself even with financial and emotional difficulties, we should strive to be like that. Thanks for helping!

I keep telling myself it will be worth it in 3 years time when I can get myself a half decent job!

lidlest

knowledgeman wrote: »

Yes your definitly a spoilt little brat from that, obviously think you deserve something for nothing

Theres jobs there but they dont pay you enough to accept, yet your moaning about a lack of money

Grow up

Wow that's pretty damn harsh and judgemental. A parent who earns 30, 000 a year may have less disposable income than someone on 10,000 a year.

I don't get my rent, council tax, school dinners etc paid for me. I pay for it all, without thousands of tax credit and the unfairness is I will have to pay for my childs education, through the nose, whilst ungrateful wastes of space hang on in further ed just for their EMA.

Base it on attendance and grades and it might be fair. It really isn't currently.

Children shouldn't have to get jobs to pay for their education, I'll bet Tony Blair and Gordon Brown didn't. Everyone who can handle further study should have the oppourtunity to study, to the very best of their abilities, without worrying about being broke/in debt/bankrupt at the end.

andyrules

poet123 wrote: »

Well what a hornets nest you have stirred up! I am a lecturer in an FE college and I disagree with EMA. Many(though obviously not all) students would certainly not be there but for EMA but that is not a positive,they simply put of the dreaded hour when they have to join the real world and work.

Although they may attend,they do minimal work and make a nuisance of themselves and disrupt others who do want to work. They keep their behaviour just inside the limits required, but cause us all loads of extra work. When the EMA ends they find a job....it was never their intention to take education any further, and but for EMA would not have bothered.

If EMA were paid to the parents for the upkeep of the young person(as it is intended for)the numbers would drop alarmingly. EMA is spent in the bar,and on clothes......not on educational supplies or living expenses.

The other issue is that a separated family would get EMA even if the absent parent earns a fortune......

My friend left teaching in FE as she couldn't stand the disruption caused by the teens who were there for one reason only - and it wasn't to Aim Higher.

helloecho

I don't agree with EMA, I don't see why 16-18 year olds are 'entitled' to money for nothing, when effectively they ARE getting someting for nothing anyway by taking on free taxpayer-funded education for the benefit of their future earning potential.

The education should be free, I wholeheartedly believe that, but by accepting the free education any financial incentives should be forfeited. By going to 6th form or college you are being paid in knowledge, materials, resources, premises, staff and future security. Free education is a privelidge, not a right or a burden, and nobody should be 'compensated' for 'having' to accept it.

This is exactly how I think University education should be, too - absolutely free, but with no added financial free-rides. As a university student, I had to pay nearly £3000 in fees and am now in £12000 of debt, because as an 18-year-old (read: independent ADULT) my parents income was deemed to high to waive MY fees or expenses. Now I am in full-time employment but earning pittance, mainly because of the saturation of freeloading graduates who only went to university because it was 'free' and a 3-year-long party and did the bare minimum of work while they were there. Not only have they flooded the job market, but they lack the skills and knowledge expected of graduates, therefore degrading the value of my own hard-earned degree.

So basically, the bottom line is that I think education should be free and regarded as payment in itself. For everyone. If people can't afford to eat or lodge whilst getting their education, then perhaps it shouldn't be their priority - work a bit until they can afford it, or decide against it altogether.

andyrules

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't ema meant to relieve any hardship faced by keeping a child in full time education? If that is so, then why isn't it paid to the parent? I'm sure they wouldn't spend (taxpayers' ) money on unnecessary luxuries.

Why does a 16 year old need £30 per week spending money? Being on the ema borderline, I could only afford to give mine £30 per month! And they manage, with part time jobs.

Call me a cynic, but I can't help thinking it's a bribe to keep more bums on seats! :rolleyes: