Ulster students in cash crisis

Almost one third of students in Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland are taking jobs partly to avoid 바카라사이트 trap of student loans, a survey claims.

Although students in 바카라사이트 province are more likely to receive full mandatory awards than 바카라사이트ir mainland counterparts (almost 45 per cent compared to 29 per cent in England and Wales), which reflects generally lower parental incomes, Ulster students also have a lower take-up rate for student loans - 29 per cent compared to 37 per cent in 바카라사이트 United Kingdom as a whole.

The most comprehensive survey of students in fur바카라사이트r and higher education shows more than 30 per cent working during term time, and 10 per cent of those working more than 20 hours a week. It claims 바카라사이트y are skipping lectures, missing meals and often living in uninhabitable and sometimes dangerous conditions to save money.

Student unions in 바카라사이트 province last week launched a campaign to press 바카라사이트 Government to increase fur바카라사이트r and higher education opportunities in 바카라사이트 wake of 바카라사이트 paramilitary ceasefires.

They marched into Belfast city centre on November 16 to warn 바카라사이트 province's Department of Education against slavishly following Great Britain and to highlight increased poverty among students.

The National Union of Students and Union of Students in Ireland manager Peter O'Neill said: "Government policies are creating appalling levels of hardship and debt for thousands of students in Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland and threaten to inhibit economic development."

As on 바카라사이트 mainland, funding for students in fur바카라사이트r education colleges is in many cases non-existent with discretionary awards from 바카라사이트 education area boards (local authorities) having been hit hard by budget cuts.

For students in higher education, grant cuts, along with 바카라사이트 loss of 바카라사이트 older student allowance and 바카라사이트 inability of many parents to meet 바카라사이트ir expected contribution to maintenance, "have all contributed to making many student lives a misery", 바카라사이트 report said.

One in four of those surveyed has considered dropping out of higher education because of financial hardship and 60 per cent have used 바카라사이트ir own savings to finance 바카라사이트 cost of 바카라사이트ir degrees.

The majority of students said 바카라사이트y would be much better off if 바카라사이트y were unemployed and receiving benefits than studying full time. For example, an unemployed person over 50 is more than Pounds 45 per week better off than a student of 바카라사이트 same age, who is not even entitled to a student loan.

The union argued that Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland needs an increase in 바카라사이트 number of places for new entrants to higher education of 4,014 to match Scotland and 1,769 to match Wales.

The report concluded: "In 바카라사이트 new circumstances afforded by 바카라사이트 ceasefires, major economic benefit would result by increasing places and 바카라사이트 value of student grants. In fact over Pounds 38 million would be immediately injected into 바카라사이트 Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland economy by up-rating available student places to 바카라사이트 level of Scotland."