STUDENTS will be asked to take a critical look at their local railway stations as part of a pilot business education project.

Canterbury and Swale Education Business Partnership and Julie Russell from The Abbey School in Faversham have won a bid to run an Enterprise Pathfinders project at The Abbey, the Community College, Whitstable, and Herne Bay High School.

The scheme will give Year 10 pupils hands-on experience and knowledge of how business works, from decision-making and organisation to financial management and leadership skills.

The £25,000 pilot project, which will be extended to schools across the country in 2005/6, will see the three schools working with Connex South Eastern so pupils can look at the challenges of running a railway station.

Connex wants to develop the environmental attractiveness of stations at Whitstable and Faversham and, as part of their work, pupils will review the facilities at their local station and make suggestions for improving its environment.

Canterbury and Swale Education Business Partnership manager, Jan Thornby, said: "This will give the students a better understanding of business management and help them with skills that will make them more employable."

Chris Tyler from Business Link Kent, which helped with the bid for pilot funding, said: "Not only will this give 14- and 15-year-olds experience and understanding of enterprise, business and the economy, but it will also give the companies a fresh perspective on their own problems.

"We hope that the project will have mutual benefits and that the companies involved will be genuinely interested in the recommendations the students come up with."