Economists speak out to save the EMA

A group of distinguished economists have published a letter in today’s Guardian calling on the Government to use next week’s budget to save the Educational Maintenance Allowance (EMA):
http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2011/mar/
16/budget-to-save-the-ema

“Abolishing the EMA – which enables many young people to gain the qualifications that they will need in the future – is not a recipe for long-term growth. At the very least, Mr Osborne should listen to Save EMA's Deal's a Deal campaign and provide funding for the 300,000 teenagers enrolled on two-year courses who expected to receive the EMA in their second year.

"The argument that there is no alternative to scrapping EMA is false. We urge the chancellor to use the opportunity of the budget to reconsider the government's plans and to continue a programme that not only benefits poorer students, but the economy as a whole”: