Access to Higher Education

As an amendment to motion S2M-04788 in the name of Fiona Hyslop (Access to Higher Education), leave out from “recognises” to end and insert “applauds the substantial growth of investment and participation in the higher education sector in Scotland in the last seven years, the growing opportunities made available to young people and others wishing to access higher education in Scotland, the increase in participation rates in higher education of those from disadvantaged backgrounds over the same period and the vital importance of having a skilled and highly educated workforce to the Scottish economy; welcomes the facts that 72,000 students have benefited from young student bursaries since the reintroduction of student grants in 2001, that Scottish students have had their fees abolished by the Scottish Executive and that the Executive continues to oppose top-up fees, but notes with concern that the £1.7 billion costs of replacing all student loans with grants and writing off student debt threatens the continued success and expansion of higher education institutions and diverts effort and resources from encouraging wider participation from under-represented groups.”