The finances of colleges in Scotland have deteriorated following a drop in student numbers, Audit Scotland has said.

A report has found that while colleges responded well to Covid-19, changes are needed to ensure they are financially sustainable in the long term – as well as achieving higher completion rates.

The number of students completing their course had fallen, with disadvantaged and vulnerable students the most likely to drop out.

The proportion of students dropping out of courses in 2019-20 was around one in five full-time further education students (20.8%), but by 2020-21, this increased to 27.7%.

Fewer college leavers went onto work, training or further study between 2019 and 2020 – 84.4% – when compared to 87.8% in 2018-19.

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