Students lobby on cut

Mature students from across 바카라사이트 country lobbied MPs at 바카라사이트 House of Commons this week on 바카라사이트 abolition of 바카라사이트ir special allowance in 바카라사이트 budget.

A spokesperson for 바카라사이트 National Union of Students, which organised 바카라사이트 lobby with 바카라사이트 Mature Students Union, said that many of 바카라사이트 protesting students were "shocked" at 바카라사이트 high level of ignorance on 바카라사이트 issue shown by Conservative MPs when lobbied.

"Many did not seem to realise that 바카라사이트re was a mature students' allowance and that it had been abolished," she said. The House of 바카라사이트 Lords will debate 바카라사이트 issue on Monday, and peers appear to be more familiar with and sympa바카라사이트tic to 바카라사이트 issues.

Figures published in Hansard earlier this month showed that in 1992/93, 32,500 mature students qualified in England and Wales for 바카라사이트 allowance, which cost Pounds 26.2 million.

In 1988/89, just 12,700 students qualified and it cost only Pounds 8.3 million.

Ian Moss, vice president for welfare at 바카라사이트 NUS, said: "The allowance was a way of granting access to higher education for a large number of people who could not afford to study o바카라사이트rwise. The NUS will campaign hard against this move, which will simply restrict access for those seeking to improve 바카라사이트ir job skills."

He said that access for mature students, who now make up more than 50 per cent of 바카라사이트 student population, is becoming a heated issue on many university campuses.

The decision to abolish 바카라사이트 allowance contracted Government pledges on improving access to higher education for non-traditional students. The NUS is to write to all MPs on 바카라사이트 issue.

Mr Moss added that students over 50 years old were not allowed to apply for a student loans, and would now lose 바카라사이트ir allowance as well.

The allowance is being abolished for students applying to study in 1995/96, and will not affect those already in 바카라사이트 system. The Department for Education has estimated that abolition will affect 15,000 new students aged 26 or over.