COLLEGE principals in Thurrock have united to voice their worries about the loss of government grants paid to teenagers to encourage them stay in education.

It was announced in the Government’s spending review that Educational Maintenance Allowance (EMA) would cease next summer, leaving nearly 2000 students across Thurrock losing out on the vital grant.

The students who have applied for college or sixth form next September would have been under the impression that they would be eligible for EMA payments, paying up to £30 a week to 16 to 18 year olds.

Mark Vinall, principal of Palmer’s College in Chadwell Road, Grays said: “Like many other college's, we are concerned at the Government’s decision to stop paying EMA in July 2011, including those students who will be halfway through their course, and those whose household income is less than £20,817 per year.

“We are also alarmed that the Government is stopping new applications for EMA at the end of December, before it has alternative arrangements in place.

“The overall spending cut from £574 million to possibly as little as £75 million, will cause hardship for many young people and their families, and force others to narrow their choice.

“I urge ministers to reconsider their decision and to remove financial obstacles to study for young people from low income families.”

The Government has decided to make the cut because a study identified 90 per cent of the payments are made to students who would have stayed in full-time education without the payments.

There are currently about 2000 students at Palmer College and 800 of the students get EMA, about 500 students who get the grant at the moment will no longer get it next year.

Jan Hodges, principal of South Essex College in Woodview, Grays has also written to MPs Jackie Doyle-Price and Stephen Metcalfe urging them to write to education ministers on the abolition of the grants.

Jan said: “I believe that the Department for Education has made the wrong decision and that disadvantaged young people in Thurrock, Basildon and Southend will suffer as a result of this decision.

“Some 3000 students aged 16-18 attending South Essex College receive an EMA, which is almost half of all the young people who attend the college.

“EMAs are restricted to low-income households, and are predominantly taken up by those with lower achievement levels at school, those from ethnic minorities and those from single-parent families, so are a vital tool for increasing social mobility. “Whilst I accept that these are difficult times financially, I believe that financial support for young people continuing their education and training is a valuable investment towards creating a sustainable future for us all.”

A Department of Education spokesman said: “We have consistently made it clear we will still provide support for the 10 per cent of young people who really need help to stay in post-16 education, through substantially increasing the size of the discretionary learner support fund.

“In these tough economic times, we simply do not have the luxury of being able spend hundreds of millions on a programme that doesn't see results in return for the majority of the money spent.”

There are currently 600 students at the Woodview campus of the college who get EMA allowances and it will be not be made clear until April what will replace the grant.

Diana Hale, cabinet member for education added: “This cut will hit Thurrock families very hard at a time when the unemployment rate is rising.

“We need all children and young people in Thurrock to achieve their potential and cancellation of EMA is very bad news."