SNP cuts to education challenged at Holyrood
For immediate release 16 March 2011
The Scottish Parliament today debated higher education funding, and the Green MSPs challenged SNP Ministers over the "efficiency savings" being imposed. These decisions are leading to strikes and disputes, including at two of Edinburgh's universities today.
Robin Harper MSP said:
"SNP Ministers have decided to pass on substantial cuts to Scotland's universities and let them carry the can. Courses are being closed, the quality of our higher education system is in jeopardy, and it is no wonder that strikes have begun. I would rather Ministers were more open about their priorities and their decision not to raise the revenue required to protect education and other public services.
"Ahead of the last election the SNP promised to abolish student debt, but this pledge was quickly abandoned when they came to office. Now Alex Salmond is claiming they will not introduce tuition fees in the next session, but they again have no idea how to fund this pledge other than by slashing teaching budgets. Like Labour, the Tories and now the Lib Dems, the SNP have let students down and that will not be quickly forgotten."