Falklands : Falklands Public Meeting Report 07/21/09
Submitted by Falkland Islands News Network (Juanita Brock) 22.07.2009 (Article Archived on 05.08.2009)
A public meeting was held in the Court and council Chamber of the Town at 1700hrs on Tuesday, 21 July 2009. Present were Councillors Stevens, Cockwell, Hansen, Clausen, Robertson and Summers (Chair).
PUBLIC MEETING 21/07/09 REPORT
By J. Brock (FINN)
A public meeting was held in the Court and council Chamber of the Town at 1700hrs on Tuesday, 21 July 2009. Present were Councillors Stevens, Cockwell, Hansen, Clausen, Robertson and Summers (Chair).
Present to assist were the Director of Finances, Mr Keith Padgett, Mr Alistair Baldwin, Head Teacher at the Community School, Richard Fogerty, Acting Director of Education and Eileen Davies and Jock Elliot from the Training Centre. Approximately 30 students who had been in the UK also attended the public meeting to ask questions. Along with the students there was another 25 members of the community present at the meeting.
Cllr Summers opened the meeting by asking the students to participate in the process by asking questions. Several students took the opportunity to ask questions about the difference between “pocket money” and the £6500.00 grant they are given each year for expenses.
The first student to speak asked why the money was necessary to have £50.00 a week as it seemed to her that other students with less money managed well on the resources they had. A student parent mentioned that children from one-parent households found it especially difficult to cope financially. Cllr Clausen agreed and said that this was the reasoning behind means testing for the educational grant.
Another student wondered why it was called “pocket Money.” And said that after all the bills were paid there could be £5.00 a week left over that one could call “pocket money.” One parent mentioned that he gave his son pocket money after the bills were paid.
The subject of student loans was touched on and while this could be done through the bank, there were difficulties in proving an address and obtaining a National Insurance Number. Cllr Stevens asked what students thought about having to pay back a £15,000.00 to £20,000.00 loan. One student said that it was difficult to come back to the Islands after having earned a degree. Coming back to the Falklands, would not work for everybody but Cllr Summers suggested it was paramount for students to keep in touch with potential employers in the Falklands.
Phyl Middleton mentioned that to get a good job back in the Falklands means getting a Masters or PhD . A degree wasn’t what was needed here. Councillors took that onboard but said that keeping in touch with potential employers was what was needed. This theme kept rising throughout the evening with Cllr Summers saying that you need to be persistant and others saying that students should e-mail potential employers here at least once a week..
One student said that there wasn’t enough careers advice here and that many come unprepared abou their education and their life. Another student said that more learning was needed once getting admitted to higher education because there wasn’t the right preparation for college and/or university.
A student suggested a data base showing when students would be returning and the possibility this would help FIG to hire them on at the right time. The key to getting a job that suits an education is important and students need to keep in contact with potential employers in the public and private sector.
Eileen Davies said that there was a small amount of money left in the work experience budget at the training centre and that students could take advantage of that with a view to employment when an education is finished.
A atudent asked how grants wer calculated. The answer is that there is now means testing. Richard Fogerty mentioned that this whole issue needed to be revisited.
Another student mentioned that there was plenty of money available for students but there were issues with proving one’s national health status as well as citizenship in order to get it. This will be looked at with a view to helping Falklands students obtain their fair share of bursaries ands other money.
Issues brought up will be discussed at the next education board meeting.
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