AONTAS Response to Annual Competitiveness Report
7 Feb 2007 03:57 PM
Commenting on the Report, Berni Brady, the Director of AONTAS, said: "One of the recommendations made by the NCC again this year is that undergraduate fees should be reintroduced for higher education. While AONTAS recognises that the current system of higher education does not cater adequately for the most marginalised in society, we would be very concerned that the reintroduction of fees could further alienate sections of the population already struggling to attain their full educational rights. Any change to the current system would need to ensure that the financial burden does not lie solely with learners, but is shared in an equal way between the government, students and employers."
However, AONTAS welcomed the NCC's recommendation that additional training targeted at workers with lower levels of educational attainment should be a priority and that greater use should be made of industry-led networks to support lifelong learning.
"Today's report states that the NCC supports the development of greater incentives for participation in part-time education. Our pre-election campaign, 'Demand Your Right To Learn', contains two key demands that would support the NCC's recommendation in this regard," said Berni Brady. "First of all, one of our 10 demands is that fees for part-time learners in higher education should be abolished, thereby allowing workers who missed out on third level education the first time round to upskill while continuing to work. Secondly, we are demanding that the next government introduces paid education leave for workers with Junior Cert qualifications or less. Clearly these AONTAS demands are in line with the recommendations of the NCC."
