P-05-789 Review support for asylum seekers accessing further education, Correspondence – Petitioner to Committee, 30.04.19

Because of no options of further academic education  for Asylum seekers in UK all of us waste the time duration in which our case is in process with Home Office which can be utilised by gaining education and make ourselves ready when hopefully all of us will get residency here. I would like to share my family’s example. We applied for Asylum in Mar 2014 and got leave to remain in Aug 2018 so we have spend around four and half years in Asylum seekers status in which we were not allowed to work or even study. Now when me and my husband are applying for jobs, we are having difficulties as there is a long gap of all these years in which we have just wasted our time. That time would be well spend if we both have gained some academic qualifications so at the moment we would be in much better position to grab any good opportunity and would be paying taxes and giving back to community what we have always wished for. Specially there are so many young people who are of college or university going age (could get HNC or HND or Apprenticeship options if allowed) but can’t go as they can’t afford to pay while living on asylum support. Even apprenticeships are not available for such individual. We consider these young people as assets for Uk economy who can study well (if given chance) and in due time when their asylum application is approved they can get better jobs and are not bound to rely on state benefits. It will also be benefited if we can study while our case proceeds as it will keep us happy and motivated and will work as a therapy to keep ourselves away from Asylum thoughts and nightmares. Apologies if I am not able to show you the importance of this matter but it really is of utmost important to me and all Asylum seekers.