Sick joke when you’re ill

EMA also known as Educational Maintenance Allowance is such a joke, writes our Teen Blogger Rhian. EMA is where you get paid for going to college and doing higher education.

You can earn between £10-£30 a week. All you do is collect the EMA form each week and get your tutor to sign it after every lesson, but heres the catch, You don’t get if you take a day off or miss a lesson, even if you’re genuinely ill.

Last thursday I fainted at college and we were planning to do some survival walk thing as part of our module but my tutor said I’d be too much of a risk to take so I was sent home.

But I never got my EMA for that week because I didn’t have any evidence or proof. I’m sorry I didn’t have a video camera to film it but you know that’s not the sort of thing you think about when you’re going to faint.

It’s just so ridiculous. They said I needed a doctor’s note but because I couldn’t get an appointment that day, I couldn’t get one unless I paid.

It’s like there’s that flu thing going around and I’m sure lots of people have had one day off for it, and because they took that one day off they loose out on their EMA.

Your doctor isn’t gonna give you a note because you have flu. So if you get EMA and because your’re ill or sick you decide not to go into college just make sure you get photographic evidence to why you were off. It’s the only way you’ll get paid.

• Rhian is the Shropshire Star’s teen blogger, speaking out on the issues that interest and effect her.
• Comment on Rhian’s blog by clicking here
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YOUR COMMENTS:

Instead of scrounging off the tax payers’ money why doesn’t she just get a Saturday or Sunday job? I can’t believe she has the cheek to moan about not getting her EMA! I’m a student too (at the age of 17!), however I don’t get EMA. I had the choice of getting £30 a week, but I rejected it! (Isn’t the UK in tatters already giving away free cash!). I think EMA is a rubbish idea too . . . I don’t know one student who has used the EMA payments for anything but buying fags, dope and drink!
James, Shrewsbury