Save Face-to-Face Further Education at Elmwood

Further Education in Scotland has been cut back for over a decade — and rural communities are paying the price.

At SRUC’s Elmwood campus in Cupar, the decline is stark. Around 90% of the campus is boarded up. HNC and HND courses that were once delivered in person have been moved online. Only a handful of students now receive face-to-face teaching.

This is not progress. It is the slow dismantling of practical education.

Land-based courses in agriculture, horticulture, animal care, forestry and green-keeping are vital pathways for young people who want skilled careers in industries that underpin Scotland’s rural economy. These subjects require hands-on training, real facilities, and in-person teaching. They cannot be properly delivered from behind a screen.

When face-to-face provision disappears, opportunities disappear with it — especially for students who do not wish to attend university and rely on local college access.

We call on the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills Jenny Gilruth MSP to:

• Restore and expand face-to-face Further Education at the Elmwood campus in Cupar — whether delivered by SRUC or another provider.
• Preserve, restore and expand practical, land-based Further Education at Elmwood and across other SRUC campuses.

Scotland needs strong vocational education. Rural industries need skilled workers. Young people need real, local opportunities.

Do not let Elmwood fade away. Keep up with the Save Elmwood campaign at www.save-elmwood.org.uk

Sign this petition and demand action now.