Scottish Labour are the second party after the Scottish Greens to commit to the following in the next parliamentary session:
•Improve student support
•Protect graduate numbers and college places
•Rule out tuition fees.
NUS Scotland's Reclaim Your Voice campaign is calling on every candidate standing for election to go beyond election promises to make cast-iron commitments to students. They can do so by signing up to the three commitments via the Reclaim Your Voice website.
Liam Burns, President of NUS Scotland, said: “We are delighted that Scottish Labour has signed up to our Reclaim Your Voice campaign. Scottish parties are showing that they are willing to prioritise education at this time, choosing a different path to what we’ve seen in the rest of the UK.
"Ahead of May’s elections we will be calling on every candidate in every party to commit to rule out tuition fees, protect graduate numbers and college places and improve student support.
“The funding gap between English and Scottish universities is much smaller than feared, estimated at somewhere between £150m and £200m. This is clearly bridgeable and shows fees would be a choice not a necessity. Just some of our own suggestions would contribute £120m in additional income or savings towards the gap. That’s why it’s right that almost every main party in Scotland has ruled out fees.
“Election promises are one thing but cast iron commitments like these are another. Students in Scotland will not tolerate the betrayal seen in the rest of the UK. That’s why commitments like today’s are so important."
Scottish Labour Leader, Iain Gray, said: "I was the first person in my family to go to university and I refuse to impose additional barriers on Scotland’s next generation. Education is the single most important lever in transforming people’s lives.
"From our youngest children learning to read, to research scientists on the cutting edge of new discoveries, education drives Scotland’s ability to create wealth and opportunity. Our young people are our future and if we are to come out of the recession fighting then we need our young people with the knowledge and skills Scotland’s economy requires.
"I have already made clear that if I am First Minister there will be no tuition fees for Scottish students - I will not put a price tag on education. The Tories have exposed their true colours at Westminster and in Scotland with their plans to hammer Scotland’s students to the tune of £16,000. They have pulled the ladders of opportunity from thousands of young people and I refuse to let that happen here.
"But I want to go further, so am pleased to be the first main party leader to back these important calls from Scotland's students.
"We need to get support for students better. I have already promised to reform the broken college bursary system, but I will now go further and set in place plans to reform university support too. I will therefore ask a student to chair an urgent review to ensure that those going on to college and university get the help they need at the time they need it.
"Access to education must always be based on ability to learn, not ability to pay."