Southwark Council Pays Poorer Students University Tuition Fees

In the first scheme of it's kind in the UK, a dozen school leavers from the London borough of Southwark have been awarded scholarships worth more than £10,000 each over three years.

The six students, three boys and three girls, are the first people in the country to have their university tuition fees paid for by their local council and were chosen because of their academic achievements and contribution to their community.

Only students whose parents earn less than £20,000 a year are eligible for the scholarships and the money will come from Southwark Council's £3 million Youth Fund, which will also be used to pay an allowance for those who missed out when the controversial Educational Maintenance Allowance (EMA's) were scrapped earlier this year. The council have promised to continue the scheme next year.

This is brilliant news for sixth form pupils in Southwark borough including students in Crystal Palace, where we have some of the best sixth form schools, colleges and academies. I sincerley hope this venture is successfully extended to other London borough's where young people, particularly those from poorer backgrounds, will get the chance to go to university and expand both their academic and employment opportunities.

Frank Yaw-Owusu, 18 - Law at Kings College.  

I would like to congratulate the six students (named above) on winning

the prestigious scholarships and wish them all the luck in their chosen

fields.

Photo: naveen