IN response to your recent report on industrial action in the college sector (February 25), colleges receive at least ten per cent less per student from the Government than schools for providing the same courses.
The average college would gain £500,000 a year if the funding gap were closed.
Fair funding would allow colleges to pay their staff more and still balance their books.
Colleges asked the Government for £1.9 billion extra funding between 2005 and 2008.
It looks as if the Government will allocate only one-sixth of the total money needed, which will make the task of addressing pay issues increasingly difficult for colleges.
The Association of Colleges has launched a national campaign and petition for fair funding. Readers can support the campaign by signing the petition at www.ipetitions.com/campaigns/fair_funding/
Dr John Brennan,
Chief executive,
Association of Colleges,
New Oxford Street,
London.
Updated: 09:26 Saturday, March 05, 2005
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