Rally held outside Parliament against Scottish Government ‘short-sighted’ education cuts

At 1 pm today, NUS Scotland is rallying outside the Scottish Parliament, joining forces with student activists, trade unions, and politicians, who will all be calling on the Scottish Government to halt the proposed cuts to funding for higher and further education in the upcoming budget.

Instead of investing in our collective future, the Scottish Government is implementing shortsighted cash terms budget cuts exceeding £100 million to higher and further education. These cuts pose a significant threat not only to students and staff but the overall well-being of Scotland’s education system, which has struggled with insufficient funding that has not kept pace with inflation for a decade.

The clear and resounding message to the Scottish Government is that they must start valuing students and staff, invest in the future, and stop the cuts.

Commenting, NUS Scotland President Ellie Gomersall said:

“We’re rallying outside parliament today to make it clear to the Scottish Government that these cuts cannot go ahead.

They like to talk about tackling poverty and inequality in Scotland but they’re not walking the walk. We know that a well-funded education system is essential to creating a more equal society but they have been underfunding colleges and universities for a decade and are now planning short-sighted cuts of over £100 million.

They need to urgently heed the call coming from students and staff today and stop the cuts.”