Kirk warns against cuts in education

THE Church of Scotland has warned against funding cuts to further education colleges.

Church leaders claim the cuts will damage a generation of young people whose capacity and potential will be lost to both them and society.

Sandy Fraser, convener of the kirk’s education committee, said in a letter to Dr Alasdair Allan, Minister for Skills and Learning, that while the committee welcomed the increase in capital funding for the sector it was concerned about the reduction in revenue funding from £544 million to £470m.

Mr Fraser wrote: “Given... the increases in overall youth unemployment, the committee would urge you to consider the difficulties these cuts will cause for what are often a very vulnerable group of young people.”