Mid-Scotland and Fife MSP Murdo Fraser will today attack the Scottish Government’s failing record on higher education.
In a Scottish Parliament debate, the Conservative MSP will echo the sentiments of leading further education commentators and criticise reduced grants for students from deprived areas.
Murdo Fraser will also castigate the SNP’s flagging widening access programmes as statistics from UCAS reveal that proportionally more students from poorer backgrounds apply to university in England than in Scotland.
Murdo also calls for a more diverse High School education.
Extracts from Murdo’s speech (check against delivery):
....Universal benefit to students as provided by the SNP comes at the expense of those from the poorest families.
....I have on many previous occasions raised the poor record Scotland has compared to England in relation to access to University for those from disadvantaged backgrounds. I am pleased that no one now seems to dispute these figures. The latest statistics from UCAS confirm that the application rate of 18 year olds from the most disadvantaged areas is substantially higher in England than it is in Scotland, and indeed Scotland fares worst out of the four countries in the UK on these statistics.
…. (In England) Application rates have been going up, of course because tuition fees allow generous bursaries to be paid to those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
….We also need to look at improvements in school education, particularly for those from disadvantaged backgrounds. That is why targeted interventions at those who need most help are the right way to go, and the more diverse education system with greater decision making at a local level are key to improving life chances for these youngsters.