ALG Discriminatory?

[lizj]

I would like to know if other students and parents agree with me that the granting of Adult Learning Grant for students aged 19+ in FE is discriminatory against people with learning disabilities?

While EMA is paid to all students aged 16-18 with a low household income, ALG is only paid to students who are enrolled on a Level 2 or 3 course (so higher GCSE or A level). Students on Level 1 do not qualify.

Surely this treats students of lower ability less favourably than those of "normal" intelligence?

While I understand that funding is scarce these days, it seems wrong that some should qualify and others not, based entirely on academic ability. I am tempted to challenge this ruling, but I need to decide whether it is worth the time and effort embarking on yet another battle with the powers-that-be.

[baddad]

I would like to know if other students and parents agree with me that the granting of Adult Learning Grant for students aged 19+ in FE is discriminatory against people with learning disabilities?

While EMA is paid to all students aged 16-18 with a low household income, ALG is only paid to students who are enrolled on a Level 2 or 3 course (so higher GCSE or A level). Students on Level 1 do not qualify.

Surely this treats students of lower ability less favourably than those of "normal" intelligence?

While I understand that funding is scarce these days, it seems wrong that some should qualify and others not, based entirely on academic ability. I am tempted to challenge this ruling, but I need to decide whether it is worth the time and effort embarking on yet another battle with the powers-that-be.

 

 

Hi liz -

 

Don't really have any answers for you, but yes it does on the surface seem unfair... whether 'discriminatory' or not could be a legal issue, I guess, depending on the reasoning, but one I'm guessing would be too costly/too convuluted for any individual case to determine.

In general, it's always been fairly well established in LA provision that the cut off for funding for the disabled is nineteen. Whether that's 'official' or unofficial I don't know, but the theory offered to me off the record by my tutor (an ex SS dept head) when taking my carer's degree was that it was the point at which it became economically unviable, because the payback - in terms of employment prospects etc - didn't come close to meeting the outlay. That may be even more relevant these days, given that student loans are meant to be payed back when employment begins. Dunno if that applies to ALG, or whether 'grant' in that case actually means grant rather than 'loan' masquerading as a grant.

 

Not in any way saying I agree with the thinking involved (I don't, BTW) or that any of the above is necessarily accurate - it's just what I've been told - but hope it's helpful anyway.

 

L&P

 

BD