North East Scotland College (NESCol) has hit out at the Scottish government, calculating it has been underfunded by £30million over a decade.
NESCol principal Neil Cowie is among the signatories in a joint letter to the SNP government highlighting the potential harm to the future of the North-east's economy as a result of the underfunding.
Exclusively reported in The Press and Journal this morning, the letter states: “What might we have done, how many lives could we have changed, with an additional £30million over the past decade?”
It added the "huge ambition", opportunities and vision in the North-east were being "stifled by a funding system that is significantly disadvantaging the people and employers of the North-east”.
Reacting to the issues raised in the letter, which was also signed by Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce representatives, a Scottish Government spokesman told the P&J: “NESCol was allocated a 3.08% increase in their 2024-25 funding, higher than the sector average.
“We are aware of the vital role that NESCol has in providing education opportunities across that region and will consider the points raised in the letter to the minister and respond in due course.”