There’s been a lot of conversation recently about the future of colleges, and it feels important to share where things are at with the Fighting for FE campaign.
We have seen an uplift in funding this year, which is welcome and needed. It helps begin to stabilise a system that has seen around a 20 percent real terms cut over the past five years. But it’s only a first step. There is still a long way to go if we are serious about the role colleges play in Scotland’s skills system and in supporting our communities.
Further Education is not just a pathway. For many of our students it is the place where confidence is rebuilt, where people reconnect, where lives change direction. If we get this right, colleges can be the engine of opportunity and equity across Scotland. If we don’t, we risk hardwiring inequality even further.
Simon Hewitt spoke on STV News about the plans and pressures facing Dundee and Angus College. It reflects what many of us are seeing across the sector right now. Demand is growing, needs are more complex, and the system is stretched.
The petition is still live and still needs support. If you haven’t already, please take a moment to sign and share. Collective voice matters in this moment.