NUS Scotland release ‘Roadmap to a new education system’ report
This week, NUS Scotland published a new report into Scotland’s tertiary education system: Roadmap to a New Education System.
The publication of this report continues a series that begun with Broke Students, Broken System report which was released in February.
As with the earlier report, Roadmap to a New Education System focuses on the five key pillars of the education system: the funding model, student finance, housing, transport, and mental health. They have outlined three steps that can be taken in each area to build a better system for students.
The 3 steps for the mental health pillar are:
- Create long-term, ring-fenced funding for colleges and universities mental health support.
- Set up a “transitions” review panel, responsible for creating a set of standards for key moments of transition for students in relation to mental health.
- The Scottish Government should commit to long term funding of the Think Positive project.
Commenting on the report, NUS Scotland President Ellie Gomersall said:
“As our first report this year demonstrated, students in Scotland have long been struggling in an education system which is underfunded, undervalued and in desperate need of a different approach. Now this follow-up demonstrates that this is not inevitable but with vision and commitment to realise it we can see an education system designed by students, for students.
A good education system can provide immeasurable benefit to society, economically yes but in ways so much more than that. It has the power to enrich the lives and fabric of our communities.
During my time at NUS we have strived to be not just a critical voice but a constructive one, rightly calling out politicians and government when they have let students down but also standing ready to work with them for the mutual benefit of Scotland and its students.
This new report should be seen as an invitation. The student movement is setting out a roadmap to a better education system but also a better, fairer Scotland and we’re calling on politicians to follow it.”
The report can be downloaded below.
