This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Pupil payments prove effective
20/05/2005
Allowances that encourage young people to stay on at
school improve participation and attainment, according to
new research released today.
Education Maintenance Allowances (EMAs) provide pupils
from low income backgrounds with up to £30 a week if they
continue into post-compulsory education.
They were rolled-out across Scotland last year after
being piloted in four different areas - East Ayrshire,
Glasgow, Dundee and West-Dunbartonshire.
In-depth research from the pilot areas, published for
the first time today, shows that EMAs encourage more young
people to stay at school and also helps them to improve
their grades.
For example, by the second post compulsory year low
achieving pupils in the East Ayrshire pilot gained on
average an additional half NQ award at Intermediate 2
level.
Lifelong Learning Minister Jim Wallace, said:
"Thanks to previous studies we have been well aware that
EMAs improve participation rates among young people from
low income backgrounds. The research published today
indicates that these valuable payments also help improve
pupils' achievements.
"We were always confident of the real difference EMAs
can make to young people's lives. Today's statistics show
the time and money - some £49 million - invested in the
scheme is fully justified. Money should never be a barrier
to education. EMAs ensure it isn't by providing vital
income for young people whose backgrounds dictate they need
it most.
"We want all young people to be able to reach their full
potential. It benefits no-one if financial pressures force
young people to leave school without the qualifications
they were capable of attaining. Such a scenario can often
consign youngsters to low pay jobs with few prospects.
"EMAs ensure young people have the opportunity to stay
on at school and obtain the kind of results that will lead
to good jobs and fulfilling careers. By doing so they will
help us achieve our top priority, namely, continued
economic growth, and help them achieve their full
potential."
An earlier evaluation of the EMA pilot in East Ayrshire
by Edinburgh University showed that EMA payments had a
positive effect on participation in post-compulsory
education, especially among young people from low-income
families.
The research highlighted strong evidence that EMAs
increased participation by 7 percentage points overall, and
by 9 points among young people from low-income
families.
EMAs weekly payments are:
- £30 to individuals from households of incomes up to
£19,630 per annum
- £20 for income levels £19,631 - £24,030
- £10 for income levels £24,031 - £30,000
£108 million over three years has been committed to fund
the staged national rollout of EMAs in Scotland from
2004/05 as well as the final year of the pilots.
The money will be divided up as follows: 2005-06 £28
million (16+17 years olds); 2006-07 £37 million (16 to 18
year olds); 2007-08 £43 million (16 to 19 year olds).
In addition the Executive is committed to the
continuation of the full age EMA programme in the four
pilot areas until national rollout is complete. This is to
ensure that individuals currently participating in pilot
programme will not be disadvantaged by the staged national
rollout. This will require funding of £3.5 million in
2004/05 and £1 million in 2005/06.
Two bonuses of £150 are paid on satisfying targets in
learning agreements. These will relate primarily to
student's progression (completion of course work etc.) but
also relate to overall attendance, retention and general
conduct. The young person must sign an acceptable learning
agreement.
This is a contract between the young person and the
educational institution he or she attends and covers:
course of study and level of achievement, duration of the
agreement, attendance requirements and expected standard of
behaviour.