Extra pocket money for sixth formers.

'The £545m-a-year "cash for lessons" scheme, under which the government pays young people up to £30 a week for staying in education beyond the age of 16, should be scrapped because it is a waste of money and has had little impact, according to a major new study.
A damning report by the Local Government Association says the "vast majority" of 16-year-olds who receive the money would have stayed on in education anyway – and argues that it has had a minimal effect on "staying on" rates for 17- and 18-year-olds.'

Comment.

What a truly wealthy nation we must be if we can afford to simply chuck away half a billion pounds annually in order to give sixth formers some extra pocket money!

For this once, I am not even going to bother explaining just how crass such actions are. (Hmm. I wonder what they spend the money on? )

LINK: http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2009/oct/18/children-schools-ema-allowance