Off to uni? Not likely if you’re poor

SNP fails to close entry gap

THE gap between the richest and poorest attending university has widened, despite nicola Sturgeon claiming progress is being made.

Four in ten people from wealthier areas are able to secure a place at a university, compared to only one in ten from the most deprived backgrounds.

Scottish Labour said the figures, from the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (Ucas), contradicted Miss Sturgeon’s comments at First Minister’s Questions earlier this month, when she said to suggest no progress was being made was ‘quite simply wrong’. The SnP has vowed to close the attainment gap by making education its top priority.

However, last night Scottish Labour education spokesman Iain Gray said: ‘nicola Sturgeon has promised that every child, regardless of their background, would have an equal chance of going to university.

‘But those chances have become less equal while she’s been First Minister. It goes to show that warm words from the SnP aren’t enough – closing the attainment gap will take more investment in our schools.’

Earlier this week councils warned that spending on schools was expected to be cut across the country following Finance Secretary Derek Mackay’s decision to slash local authority funding by £327million.

The Scottish Local Government Partnership (SLGP) said education was likely to be the frontline service which loses out most.

Jenny Laing, convener of the SLGP, which represents Glasgow, Aberdeen, Renfrewshire and South Lanarkshire, said: ‘With SLGP councils facing more than £100million of crippling cuts we will seriously look at schools in terms of the funding we currently provide.’

However, Mr Mackay also disclosed that £120million will be handed directly to schools in an attempt to close the attainment gap.

A Scottish Government spokesman said: ‘In 2006, 18-year-olds from the 20 per cent least deprived areas were 5.8 times as likely to enter university as those from the 20 per cent most deprived areas, and this has decreased to 3.9 times in 2016.

‘It is welcome news this is heading in the right direction, but we are committed to making further and faster progress on fairer access to higher education for all.’

‘Warm words aren’t enough’