Scots college numbers drop 70,000 in two years

Enough people to fill a town the size of Paisley have been cut from college rolls in the past two years, the Scottish Government has confirmed.

There are 70,000 fewer going to college than in 2010. But youth employment minister Angela Constance insisted the government had “maintained college numbers at the full-time equivalent (FTE) of 116,000”.

This is because colleges now spend more time teaching fewer full-time students and have jettisoned thousands of part-time places.

A government spokesman confirmed the scale of the decline but said the dropped part-time courses had a lower chance of leading participants to gainful employment.

Labour finance spokesman Ken Macintosh raised the cut in college numbers during a debate on employability at Holyrood, although he put the drop at 80,000. “How does cutting £38 million from the further education budget improve employability?” he asked.

“How does reducing the number of students by 80,000 – that’s 80,000 less people in college education in Scotland under this SNP administration – how does that help young Scots back into the workforce?”

Ms Constance said: “This government is committed and is maintaining college numbers at the FTE of 116,000: the most robust figure that is available.”

The government spokesman said: “Improving the employability and life chances of our young people is fundamental to Scotland’s economy which is why Scotland’s colleges are prioritising delivery of full-time courses for the 16 to 24 age group.”

MARK MCLAUGHLIN