STUDENTS across York staged a day of protests against Government education cutbacks.

At York College, the University of York and in York city centre, students from schools, colleges and the university staged their own demonstrations yesterday as part of a national day of action protesting against Government education policy.

York College Students Union organised a mass signing of postcards by students to protest against the removal of the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA). The postcards will be delivered to local MPs to highlight student concerns over the abolition of EMA in the coalition government’s recent Comprehensive Spending Review.

The EMA is cash payments of up to £30 a week to students during term time and closes to new applicants in January.

Meanwhile, at the University of York, students held a “degree auction” outside Vanbrugh College, auctioning a series of fake degrees, with fake money, to a crowd of students, to highlight higher education cuts.

Pupils from some York secondary schools also met in York city centre to make their voice heard.

Brian Crosby, head teacher at Manor CE School, said 12 to 16-year-olds from his school were taking part and all had parental consent.