Handout cut will hurt our students the most - Newham’s Mayors

NEWHAM’S MAYOR and Young Mayor joined the growing number of voices urging the Government to reverse its decision to scrap the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA), a student cash subsidy.

Thousands of students will take part in a national protest against the cut tomorrow, ahead of a vote in Parliament the following day.

The payment of up to �30 is designed to help those from poorer families to stay in full-time education.

While, nationally, 88 percent of recipients will continue to study irrespective of the money, local research shows that 41 per cent of the 5,000 students in Newham claime the subsidy and of these more than half said it was an important reason for them staying on in education.

Young Mayor Ali Mohamed said: “While the �30 allowance might not sound like much, many students need it to cover the cost of things like travel, lunch or textbooks.

Mayor Sir Robin Wales added: “Taking away the EMA will make it harder for poorer students to get the education that they deserve.

“The Government needs to stay true to its word and give young people the opportunities they deserve.”