Vol. 493 No. 3
492 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science whether the registration fee for the 1998-99 academic year has been settled; if not, if he will set a deadline of 1 July 1998 to finalise it; if he has sought or received reports from colleges on the implementation of the framework of good practice to establish transparent expenditure of the fee on student services; and if he has satisfied himself with the operation of the system. [16323/98]
In the context of the free fees initiative, a standardised charge of £150 was levied by the third level colleges in the 1995-96 academic year for examinations, registration and student services. This charge was fixed at £150 for the 1995-96 and 1996-97 academic years and set for review for the 1997-98 academic year. In the light of the arguments advanced by the universities that the true costs of the charges would on average amount to £400 in 1997-98, the need for improved student services and the fact that the charge had been frozen since 1995, I accepted that the third level institutions could increase this charge to £250 for the 1997-98 academic year. I have not yet taken any decision about the charge for 1998-99 and I do not envisage doing so by 1 July.
I would point out that students who are eligible for maintenance grants under the means tested student support schemes do not have to pay this charge. In this regard, some 60 per cent of certificate and diploma students in the technological sector and 40 per cent of students in the university sector are eligible for maintenance grants.
The distribution of the charge payable by students for registration, exams and student services, is a matter for the third level institution involved. As I was concerned about that portion of the charge which is intended to fund student services and in particular the lack of transparent procedures I requested the chairman of the Higher Education Authority to reconvene the working group, which was previously established to review and make recommendations on the implementation of the charge, to prepare a framework of good practice in relation to this charge with particular reference to the principles of transparency and accountability. The Higher Education Authority issued the framework to the publicly funded third level institutions earlier this year. This framework consists of guidelines to establish an appropriate system of consultation with students in the allocation of funding from the charge and in the determination of student services to be funded from this source. In relation to the issue of transparency, the framework recommends that each institution should provide information as to the allocation of the charge towards exams/registration and towards student services on an annual basis. I have asked the Higher Education Authority to co-ordinate the review after six months, as recommended by the working party, of the consultative procedures and their outcome. This review will shortly commence.
