Extra £14m for Scottish colleges

12:45 20th April 2009

Colleges in Scotland are set to benefit from additional funding worth £14 million in a bid to provide students with extra resources during the recession.

More than 40 colleges across the country will receive a total of £572 million from the Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding Council (SFC), which will be used to fund a variety of expenses including childcare and bursaries, reports the BBC.

Some of the funding will also be used to expand the Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (Pace) programme, which helps people who are at greater risk of redundancy through courses which could include computer training.

Mark Batho, chief executive of the SFC, told the BBC: "The Scottish Funding Council's increased investment in Pace and support for students will put public money where it is needed most."

He added that the increased funding will allow a faster response for people who are in danger of losing their jobs.

Scotland's Forth Valley College was recently awarded an accolade for college of the year in recognition of its training schemes, according to the Stirling Observer.