NUS Scotland has published a new report, “Roadmap to a New Education System”, which sets out a bold vision for improving Scotland’s tertiary education system and creating a better future for students. The report builds upon the findings of the earlier “Broke Students, Broken System” report, which highlighted the chronic underfunding, excessive marketization, and profit-driven nature of the current system at the expense of struggling students.
The “Roadmap to a New Education System” focuses on five key areas: funding model, student finance, housing, transport, and mental health. For each area, the report outlines three steps that can be taken to create a new, better system that serves both students and Scotland as a whole. The vision presented is one of a fully funded education system, where education is recognized as a public good and there is parity between higher and further education.
The report envisions a Scotland where every student receives a minimum income guarantee, and student housing co-operatives have established an affordable, democratic model of student living. It also imagines a Scotland with free public transport for all students and a stable mental health support system across the education lifecycle. This vision is achievable if politicians are bold and willing to listen to the student movement.
The publication of this report coincides with the end of Ellie Gomersall’s two-year term as NUS Scotland President. In her comments, Gomersall emphasized the need for a different approach to address the struggles faced by students in an underfunded and undervalued education system. She highlighted the potential of a good education system to enrich lives, communities, and society as a whole.
Gomersall also noted that during her time at NUS, the organization has strived to be a critical yet constructive voice, calling out politicians and government when they have let students down while also being ready to work with them for the mutual benefit of Scotland and its students. The “Roadmap to a New Education System” is an invitation for politicians to follow the student movement’s lead in creating a better education system and a fairer Scotland.
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