91% of all colleges and universities in Scotland commit to developing mental health support

NUS Scotland President Ellie Gomersall ends term with call to politicians to work with students towards a better future

NUS Scotland President Ellie Gomersall: Scottish Government must put their money where their mouth is and reverse education cuts now

"Tommorow at 1pm, I’ll be joining students from across Scotland, as well as politicians, trade unionists and others, outside the Scottish Parliament to rally for our education and call for a reversal of the devastating cuts to tertiary education planned in the Scottish Budget for 2024-25..."

Education is a public good, it’s the best route we have to tackling poverty and inequality. A good education system that benefits people, not profit is the key to the prosperous future we all want for Scotland.

However, that’s not the tertiary education system we have just now. Despite some progress, in the 25^th year of the Scottish Parliament, the system we have in Scotland is failing students.

Here are just 5 areas in which our education system is broken:

NUS Scotland set to release report detailing the crises facing Scotland's further and higher education

In December, the Scottish Government published its draft budget statement for 2024/25. Buried within it are the plans to cut funding for both higher and further education in Scotland, amounting to over £100 million in total.

These cuts continue a pattern of colleges and universities having been undervalued and underfunded year after year – however, this time, it’s even worse for students.

After the Scottish Government published its draft budget statement for 2024/25, NUS Scotland has welcomed the recent increase in student finance for HE students - but warned the continued underfunding of the sector is having dire consequences.

As the cost of living crisis continues to hit students hard, the Scottish Government’s new announcement of a £2,400 uplift to financial support for higher education students is a big win for the student movement.

Scotland’s students should be at the heart of designing a new funding model for higher and further education says NUS Scotland President, Ellie Gomersall.