HOW many years has Bury's Local Education Authority (LEA) been giving grants to students in further education? After all this time, you would think that they would be able to process application forms in time for students to return to University.

The students that apply for a grant usually do so because they have no other way to support themselves at University. It is hard to hold down a job during unsociable hours if your course itself has unsociable hours, or field trips during weekends and holidays - and you are supposed to do 40 hours of study a week!

In my first year, I didn't receive a grant for the first two months. I had to sign a direct debit form for fees which I couldn't pay, and my family was told it was because a "temporary" receptionist hadn't written my name on a particular document.

This year, I have again been told I won't have received my grant by the time I have to enrol.

Because of this I won't have any money for food when I arrive at University, and could end up losing my accommodation. And, if I don't receive a grant within the first three weeks, I could quite probably get kicked out of University.

Bury LEA doesn't seem to care if students get any qualifications or not. What they don't seem to realise is that if students don't get qualifications, then they can't get a job. And, if they don't get a job, the council will be paying to support them, instead of receiving money from them in taxes.

It can't be good for students to have so much to worry about at the beginning of the year, when they should be able to start with only their studies to worry about.

CHRISTINA

MCPHERSON

Second year university student

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.