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College helps out cash-strapped students
DONCASTER College is using its own money to give financial support to students following problems with the delivery of government allowances.
Computer glitches have led to thousands of students across the country not being registered properly for the Educational Maintenance Allowance (EMA) this term, meaning they could be losing out on 30 a week.
The local college is among further education centres setting up special funds to enable affected students to stay in education while their payments are sorted out.
The move follows a meeting between college managers and Mark Haysom, chief executive of the National Learning and Skills Council (LSC).
College principal Rowland Foote said: "Even though this is through no fault of the college, it is our duty to look after the welfare of all our students.
We totally understand the financial pressures there are on students, especially at this time of the credit crunch.
"We will make sure that no student is out of pocket because of the government's problems and we will be pressurising the Department for Children Schools and Families into making sure this situation never arises again."
The exact size of the financial pot, unveiled this week, is still being determined but hundreds of students in Doncaster could be eligible for help.
The EMA is a means-tested incentive to encourage more teenagers to stay in education - particularly those from low-income families.
Private company Liberata has an 80m contract to administer the allowances on behalf of the LSC. However, with echoes of the problems with the delivery of the Sats tests in England, there is a backlog caused by technical problems and the helpline is reportedly crashing. Extra staff have been taken on by the firm in a bid to rectify the situation.
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Weather for Doncaster
Friday 25 May 2012
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Temperature: 10 C to 23 C
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