Cuts mean fewer Fife College courses - Fife can’t afford to be left behind: Melanie Ward MP
This week, hundreds of envelopes dropped through doors across our area as exam results arrived.
I still remember the nerves, standing with that envelope in my hand, hesitating to tear it open, wondering whether all the hard work had paid off. I don’t envy today’s students their moment of truth.
But while exams can cause stomach knots, the flip side is the thrill when they go well, the buzz of possibility and the joy of planning what comes next. For many in our community, that next step has meant Fife College.
A cornerstone of opportunity, the college equips learners of every age with the skills and confidence they need to build futures, and to fuel our local economy.
Yet this summer, that optimism has a cloud over it. Over the last three years, Fife College has seen its core budget cut by almost 20% in real terms by the SNP Scottish Government, as funding shifts toward Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen.
Those aren’t just dry figures; cuts could mean fewer courses, fewer tutors, and fewer routes into valued careers. With the attainment gap between those from the poorest and wealthiest backgrounds already sitting at over 30% in Fife, it’s unacceptable that Fife is being deprioritised by those who run Scotland.
What makes this especially illogical is that the college is proving its worth. Its recent improvement action plan has delivered real results: early withdrawal rates are down to just 3.2%, the lowest since 2016, meaning around 300 more learners are staying on and progressing through to completion and into work. Completion rates are up 10%, applications are 5% higher year on year, and for the first time in a decade, courses are oversubscribed.
Adding weight to concerns about these budget cuts, UK Veterans Minister Al Carns MP recently visited Fife College. He warned that the cuts risk jeopardising the region’s ability to secure defence-sector funding and jobs. We must ensure that Fife doesn’t lose out at a time when defence investment is ramping up; college plays an essential role in preparing local talent to seize those opportunities.
With Fife College delivering demonstrable success across student retention, outcomes, and local demand, now is exactly the moment it deserves more, not less, support. These budget cuts aren’t just a funding issue, they are a risk to our young people’s futures, to upskilling workers, and to unlocking new industrial opportunities in Fife.
For those opening envelopes this week, and for the many adults reclaiming education later in life, Fife College remains a lifeline. It’s time the Scottish Government recognised that, not just in words, but through meaningful investment.
Fife can’t afford to be left behind.