Education Secretary Michael Gove promises an explanation for EMA cut

Published: 21 January, 2011
by TERRY MESSENGER

EDUCATION Secretary Michael Gove is promised a hostile reception if he fuflils a pledge made this week to visit City and Islington College to defend the decision to axe the Educational Maintenance All­ow­ance (EMA).

Nearly 3,000 students at the college are set to lose payments of up to £30 per week after the coalition government defeated a Labour bid to save the benefit currently paid to 16 to 18-years-olds in full time education which is being abolished to save £600million. 

Conservative minister Mr Gove made the promise to visit City and Islington College during the debate in Parliament on Wednesday which preceded the vote.

Henry Heming, 17, one of a delegation of 10 students from the college who went to hear the debate and were hoping to meet the minister to put their views, told the Tribune: “He will be welcome here but there will be some people who will be very angry with him for not taking our views into account.”

The students visited Islington South and Finsbury Labour MP Emily Thornberry who challenged Mr Gove during the debate to explain to the students why he was taking away their money.

Mr Gove told her: “I would be delighted to talk to them at any time. Perhaps I should visit their college so that rather more than 10 of them can have a word with me.”

Ms Thornberry responded: “I can assure him that we will hold him to that promise. We have a reputation for determination and single-mindedness in my area, which he will see when he visits.”

During her speech, she pointed to the students and described how much they benefited from EMA and how they would be disadvantaged  without it.

Students watching in the Commons and on television at the college cheered and jeered when Mr Gove made his pledge.

Seventy per cent of Islington and City students receive EMA which is paid out to teenages who live in households with incomes of less than £30,810.

Keren Abse, director of City and Islington Sixth Form College in Goswell Road, Angel – a part of the wider institution – said: “EMA has been of tremendous benefit to this college. 

“In the past, kids would drop out because of pressure in poorer families for them to work to help out with the bills.

Of Mr Gove’s visit, she said: “We would love him to come here to see if he can make his case to the students. 

“He’ll have a hard job.”