People Before Profit Councillor Shaun Harkin
Said Cllr Harkin: “The Economy Minister and Stormont Executive need to immediately make clear proposed education cuts are not going to happen.
“Department for the Economy officials have opened up a discussion about reducing university places, increasing tuition fees, slashing student financial support, cutting the number of apprenticeships and ending the Educational Maintenance Allowance (EMA).
“After the challenges students and young people have faced over the last number of years, we find these proposals simply incredible.
“They amount to a sweeping attack on students, on young people and on our higher education provision.
“Students have been leading a campaign titled ‘Students Deserve Better’. The fact these proposals are even on the table shows how out of touch the political establishment is with the needs of students and young people.
“These are callous proposals at a time when many students are struggling to make ends meet. Many students would have their opportunity for university education ripped away.
“It would impact the push to expand the number of students at Magee. They need to be taken off the table immediately.
“The Tories and Stormont Executive have wasted no time in ripping up promises to ‘build back better’ out of the pandemic.
“Instead of attacking students, the political establishment should be urgently looking at ways to properly tax billionaires and corporations who have massively increased their wealth during the pandemic.
“We stand fully in solidarity with student union demands for these proposals to be scrapped and will back actions to that effect.
“We cannot allow Stormont to take a wrecking ball to the future of students and young people. The proposals need to be scrapped and binned for good.”
Motion to Derry and Strabane Council from People Before Profit Cllr Shaun Harkin:
Council is alarmed at budget proposals from the Department for the Economy to reduce university places, massively increase tuition fees, slash student financial support, cut the number of apprentices and end the Educational Maintenance Allowance (EMA).
Council agrees these proposed actions and cuts are completely unacceptable at a time when students are already struggling to make ends meet. Council agrees these actions constitute an unacceptable attack on students, on young people, on their future, and, our education provision.
Council stands in solidarity with demands from student unions to oppose these cuts.
Council stands in solidarity with student union demands and actions vigorously opposing these proposals.
Council will write to the Economy Minister to demand immediate clarification on these proposals and to demand a halt to any attempt to move forward with these cuts.
Council calls on the Stormont Executive to rule out these proposals and cuts – and to take all necessary action to defend student places, student financial assistance, apprenticeships, the EMA and to oppose any increase in the cost of student tuition.
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