Students and trade unions call for action on education ‘crisis'
They warned that the country's higher and further education sectors 'teeter on the edge of collapse' and called for immediate structural change.
The letter to Scotland's minister for higher and further education Graeme Dey MSP has been written by NUS Scotland president Sai Shraddha S Viswanathan and is signed by representatives from the STUC, Unite the Union, EIS, UCU and Unison.
They say that the Tertiary Education and Training (Funding and Governance) (Scotland) Bill, which was published at Holyrood in February, is a critical opportunity to reshape the future of post-16 education in Scotland and demand to be at the heart of shaping it.
It comes as some Scottish universities are coming under financial pressure from rising costs and reduced income from international students.
The letter says that the country's institutions have been forced to rely on 'precarious international student fees' for too long and calls for a sustainable funding model.
Ms Viswanathan said: 'The Scottish Government must use the opportunities ahead to address the serious crises being faced by both universities and colleges across Scotland, which are a result of systemic underfunding.
'The livelihoods of dedicated educators, researchers, and support workers are being put at risk and students are paying the price, with learning conditions deteriorating and support services being slashed.
'This is not just about numbers on a balance sheet – it is about people's futures, their jobs, their education, and their lives.
'It is about Scotland's ability to be a world leader in education.
'It is about whether we believe in an accessible, high-quality, well-funded education system or whether we are content to let it collapse in front of us.
'We refuse to let our universities and colleges be decimated by inaction and political neglect.
'Education is the backbone of our society. Without it, we all suffer.'
The Tertiary Education and Training (Funding and Governance) (Scotland) Bill aims to simplify the funding system for both college and university students and apprentices.
The letter comes as the Scottish Government prepares to announce its 2025 Programme for Government next week.
Edinburgh University is one of those which has been facing financial difficulties.
The institution announced earlier this year that it would have to cut £140 million from its budget to plug a black hole, with job cuts likely.
Principal professor Sir Peter Mathieson last month announced that the university's voluntary severance scheme had concluded and around 350 staff had opted for voluntary redundancy.
Staff at the institution are being balloted over strike action.
Elsewhere staff at the University of Dundee have backed industrial action after the employer said there could be up to 700 redundancies as it struggles to deal with a £35 million deficit.
The Scottish Government has been asked for comment about the letter.
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