University Fees Debate needs to include Part-Time students
11 Aug 2008 02:26 PM
Any changes to third level fees must ensure that disadvantaged students do not lose out, said AONTAS Director Berni Brady, reacting to Minister Batt O'Keefe's statement in the Irish Times today.
'The free fees initiative has made some difference in terms of encouraging more students who would not traditionally have accessed a third level education', said Ms Brady. 'But free fees will not necessarily compensate for the social barriers that exist for many students. If there isn't a tradition in your family of attendance at third level in your family, then free fees are not necessarily going to encourage you to break that cycle. We would like to see more resources in the area of guidance and support for students from disadvantaged backgrounds which we believe would significantly help overcome those barriers. Along with the Labour party and student bodies we would be very concerned that the re-introduction of fees would make a third level education beyond the reach of many disadvantaged groups in society.'
In addition, Ms Brady pointed out that a growing number of part time, mature students are still required to finance their own third level education. The HEA estimates that in 2006 almost 13% of those enrolled in Irish universities were mature students. In 2006/2007, the HEA estimates that there were nearly 17,000 part time students enrolled in Irish universities, either on undergraduate or postgraduate courses.
Although the number of mature students is growing slowly, the recent Access Plan for Education outlines ambitious targets for adults in further education in order to develop a highly skilled workforce that can support the Irish economy. 'What is deeply disturbing within the Access Plan is that the number of 'non manual' workers participating in third level education has dropped from 29% in 1998 to 27% in 2004', Ms Brady continued. 'Non manual workers occupy positions such as clerical work or sales occupations. People employed in these types of jobs are particularly vulnerable in the current economic downturn. The NESF highlights that 75% of adults who engage in further education are currently employed. But even if you're an adult on the average industrial wage in Ireland, a university education is quite simply out of the question. We need to seriously look at the financial burden of part time fees, particularly for adults on low incomes, if we are to realise the targets outlined in the Access Plan, as well as those in Towards 2016', she concluded.
For More Information/Media Queries, contact
Niamh Farren, Communications Officer, AONTAS
01 406 8220/ 087 911 0569
Note to Editor
1. In June 2007 AONTAS produced a position paper on the issue of Part-Time Fees. This paper is available for download from www.aontas.com.
