This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Colleges secure £15m cash boost
03/10/2001
Further education colleges throughout Scotland are to benefit from a £15 million cash boost to accelerate improvement, it was announced today.
The funding package will enable colleges to provide a top class learning environment and will be targeted at modernising college facilities in addition to supporting colleges with the vision and leadership to build a secure future.
Speaking at Reid Kerr College in Paisley, Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Wendy Alexander said:
"Students throughout Scotland deserve world-class learning facilities. This extra £15 million will enable colleges to continue their crucial role in promoting lifelong learning for the people of Scotland.
"More than half has been earmarked for modernisation and building projects. A further £7 million will support those colleges who have been in difficulty but have had the vision to put in place turnaround strategies.
"This new money will help to accelerate the move towards financial health and viability in a number of colleges.
"I want to help those colleges who are committed to providing modern and well equipped facilities and whose boards are focused on securing a stable financial future in the interests of students.
"In my own constituency I have seen the remarkable turnaround new leadership can bring. A fresh and focused management approach has heralded a major transformation at Reid Kerr College over the last three years. This has created a modern learning and teaching environment with a healthy, vibrant future.
"The changes, which have been managed by the Principal, Joe Mooney, have led to a rise in student numbers from 12,000 in 1998 to over 16,000 last year and the development of 115 outreach centres across Greater Renfrewshire.
"The college is a model for others to follow. A total of £5.3 million is being invested in recently completed and continuing capital projects and even more ambitious plans are in the pipeline. Reid Kerr can expect to receive up to a £250,000 share of the new capital money announced today.
"The Scottish Executive has already made a record funding commitment to increase further education resources by fifty per cent over the life of the Parliament and the fact that we have secured this extra funding is in recognition of the importance we place on lifelong learning."
The Executive has already committed to increasing funding for the Further Education sector to £436 million in 2003-4 compared with £289 million in 1998-99.