The White House has claimed there is no evidence to suggest students benefit from the after-school programmes that Donald Trump’s proposed budget would stop funding.

Under the President's plans, $1.2 billion (£971 million) of funding for before and after school programmes will be eradicated, which experts say give children a safe and enriching place to spend time around school hours, and provide their working parents with childcare.

The Trump administration budget director Mick Mulvaney claimed at a press conference there was no evidence the programmes, which serve more than 1.6 million children nationwide, benefit student performance, and said therefore they should be shut down.

“They're supposed to be educational programmes, right?” Mr Mulvaney said.

“Guess what? There's no demonstrable evidence they're actually doing that. There's no demonstrable evidence they're actually helping results, they're helping kids do better in school.

“The way we justified it was: these programmes are going to help these kids do better in school and get better jobs. And we can't prove that that's happening.”

The programme Mr Trump is seeking to axe — known as the 21st Century Community Learning Centers — helps school districts, churches and nonprofit groups put on programmes for children who often have nowhere else to go after school.

Sevnica: Melania Trump's home town Show all 18 1 /18 Sevnica: Melania Trump's home town Sevnica: Melania Trump's home town The 12th-century castle dominates Sevnica old town Getty Images Sevnica: Melania Trump's home town The old town has a beautiful riverside setting Getty Images Sevnica: Melania Trump's home town 'White House' slippers in Sevnica castle Nick Redmayne Sevnica: Melania Trump's home town The annual salami festival, the Salamiada Nick Redmayne Sevnica: Melania Trump's home town Sevnica was a nondescript town before Melania hit the big time AFP/Getty Images Sevnica: Melania Trump's home town Sevnica butchers take their sausage-making skills seriously Nick Redmayne Sevnica: Melania Trump's home town Only men are allowed in the Salamiada Nick Redmayne Sevnica: Melania Trump's home town As American as.... a Sevnica apple pie Nick Redmayne Sevnica: Melania Trump's home town There are no plans to make a Donald pie Nick Redmayne Sevnica: Melania Trump's home town The slippers featured in a recent fashion show AFP/Getty Images Sevnica: Melania Trump's home town The castle is one of the top tourist sites in town Getty Images Sevnica: Melania Trump's home town Melanija cake has gone down a storm AFP/Getty Images Sevnica: Melania Trump's home town The smart house still owned by Melania's parents Nick Redmayne Sevnica: Melania Trump's home town They live in America but visit occasionally Nick Redmayne Sevnica: Melania Trump's home town The communist block of flats in which Melania grew up Nick Redmayne Sevnica: Melania Trump's home town Melania skin cream, for a presidential complexion Nick Redmayne Sevnica: Melania Trump's home town First lady chocolates, dusted with gold Nick Redmayne Sevnica: Melania Trump's home town Even locals can't get enough of the Melanija cake Nick Redmayne

In addition to being an important resource for parents, studies have shown that, contrary to Mr Mulvaney's comments, after-school programmes do help students' performance in terms of metrics such as grades, test scores, attendance, participation ratings and more.

Heather Weiss, the founder of the former Harvard Family Research Project, told the Washington Post that the White House's claims did not match research.