Closed petition Reintroduce the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA)

Closed on 20 July 2022

The replacement of EMA funding has proved to be totally inadequate in supporting deprived children progressing onto further qualifications, forcing them to drop out or withdraw from their basic needs, such as eating, in order to pay for the increased costs of education.

The proportion of poor pupils entering university and further qualifications has stagnated, seeing extreme decreases in the participation of these individuals in higher education, becoming the largest gap in decades.

We believe the funding provided by the Bursary fund has reduced over time and is insufficient. We want the government to reinstall the EMA programme which was valued by many and which made sure enough money was being given to the young people who really need it.