GILRUTH PUSHES FOR WIDER ACCESS TO HIGHER EDUCATION

Published date : 26 Mar 2018

GILRUTH PUSHES FOR WIDER ACCESS TO HIGHER EDUCATION

Mid Fife and Glenrothes MSP, Jenny Gilruth, has called for greater access to higher education for poorer students in her constituency.

This week Higher Education Minister, Shirley-Anne Somerville, instructed universities to ‘pick up the pace’ in widening access to students from Scotland’s most deprived communities in a statement to the Scottish Parliament.

The Glenrothes MSP took the opportunity to suggest a pilot study to track the work of St Andrew’s University with a local high school in town – where almost one in three children born will be brought up in poverty.

Ms Gilruth, who is the parliamentary liaison officer to the Cabinet Secretary for Education, plans to follow up on her remarks and write to the Minister for Higher Education detailing her proposal.

Commenting the MSP said:

“A child growing up in Scotland, regardless of their background or families income, should have an equal chance of attending university.

“While recent admissions figures from UCAS show a record number of students from Scotland’s most deprived communities being accepted to university, there is still much to do in bridging the attainment gap.

“It is utterly scandalous that almost one in three children born in Glenrothes will grow up in poverty. It is without doubt that rising child poverty levels in my constituency are a result of the morally bankrupt policies of the UK Tory Government.

“The Scottish Government have, and will continue to, commit itself to fighting poverty and building a fairer society for future generations.

“With this in mind, I have called on the Higher Education Minister, Shirley-Anne Somerville, to consider a pilot between St Andrew’s University and a local high school in Glenrothes.

“The proposal would not only act as mechanism to ensure Scotland’s most prestigious universities are achieving their equality targets but it would also open up a host of opportunities for a number of youngsters in Glenrothes.

“I hope the Minister will share this view and give the green light for my proposal.”

Local Reporters, East Fife Mail, Glenrothes Gazette, St Andrews Citizen, Courier (Fife), EDUCATION