Opposition parties blast SNP for 'dumping' students

Opposition parties have accused the SNP of failing students as the new academic year begins with record high graduate unemployment rates.

Shadow education secretary Rhona Brankin lashed out at the SNP for not mentioning education in the presentation of the Scottish government’s programme last week. 

“The First Minister has obviously decided that he doesn’t trust Fiona Hyslop to do a job for him. I think he is right about that, but it doesn’t mean he can completely ignore her. Education should be at the heart of the Scottish Government’s programme and I am astonished that he didn’t think it was important enough to merit even a single sentence in his statement." 

Speaking to The Journal, Tavish Scott, leader of the Scottish Lib Dems and Iain Grey, leader of the Scottish Labour party, also criticised the SNP for not doing enough to help students going into employment and the recovery of the Scottish economy. 

Tavish Scott MSP said that "the SNP is letting students down" by not taking more steps to ensure an economic recovery, and the creation of new jobs for graduates.

Mr. Scott added: "Instead of dumping the debt, the SNP dumped the students. It set the tone for the way that this government has treated students.

"Many of this year’s graduates are struggling to find a job. This combined with the fact that many students are graduating with record levels of student debt, means the future is looking tough for Scottish graduates. 

"It’s time that the SNP took real steps to support these students. Ministers must redouble efforts to get the economy moving again, which will create the jobs to keep Scottish students in Scotland." 

Scottish Labour leader Iain Gray also scrutinized the SNP, pointing out the vulnerability of young graduates to the "Salmond slump". 

"Under the SNP we have 1000 less teachers and other graduate professions getting squeezed. It’s time for the SNP to start governing for jobs to ensure that Scotland’s greatest assets, its people, are in work and contributing to a successful country." 

In his comments Mr Gray also condemned the SNP's persistence on the issue of independence, saying: 

"Instead of putting jobs at the heart of the Scottish Government’s agenda, we get a referendum that less than 30 per cent of the population supports." 

Responding to the criticisms Aileen Campbell MSP, member of the Parliament’s Education Committee, praised Scotland’s students, saying: 

"Scotland produces some of the best and most talented graduates and they deserve everyone’s support.

"That is why one of the SNP's first acts was to remove the graduate endowment fee, a £2300 tax simply for graduating introduced by Labour and the Liberal Democrats." 

Ms Campbell countered the accusations of not creating enough occupational opportunities for graduates, showing confidence in the existence of a rising number of graduate jobs in Scotland. 

"Despite the recession there are still job opportunities available. The annual survey of the Association of Graduate Recruiters , published in Feb 2009, found a 14% increase in the number of graduate jobs being offered Scotland. 

"It is clear to me that, while it is indeed difficult for graduates to gain employment, it is getting better under this SNP administration, compared with the previous Labour/Liberal Administration."

Earlier this summer, UK-wide graduate unemployment hit an all time high, with the Higher Education Statistics Agency reporting that almost one out of ten graduates are not in jobs or further studying six months after finishing university. 

The same figures show that nine per cent of 2007-2008 graduates were unemployed, and not in further education within half a year of completing their first degree.

Sally Hunt, general secretary of the Universities and Colleges Union said: "The fact that graduates are entering such a tough job market with record levels of debt must be a real cause for concern for all of us.

"The prime minister said he would not let education be the victim of the recession, but these figures coupled with the constant news of redundancies, does little to reassure us."

Earlier this week several Scottish universities and colleges received grants from Scotland Funding Council (SFC) in a £12 million further education funding boost targeted at communities hardest hit by unemployment.

The grants are meant to aide the institutions and the communities by creating more places for students, following a rise in applications this year. 

Mark Batho, SFC chief executive, said: "This funding will help colleges provide facilities and equipment for learning and teaching as a result of the additional students they will have coming through their doors." 

The current economic difficulties have put former polytechnic universities in the limelight, with two Scottish institutions outperforming Oxford and Cambridge with a smaller percentage of graduate unemployment. 

The Sunday Times University Guide showed that Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen came in first with 2.1% of last years graduates still out of work six months after graduating, Edinburgh Napier came in a close second with 3.2% unemployment rate.