Batt O'Keeffe
Question:28 Mr. B. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Education the progress, if any, which has been made in the assimilation of post-leaving certificate students into full-time third-level courses. [11577/95]
Written Answers. - Post-Leaving Certificate Students.
I announced last week the establishment of TEASTAS — the Irish national certification authority. The authority will operate on a nonstatutory basis for an interim period, pending the enactment of the necessary legislation. The remit of the interim authority will be to advise the Minister on the actions to be undertaken, and to undertake any such actions which it considers necessary, to put in place a single, nationally and internationally recognised certification structure covering all extra-university third-level and all further and continuing education and training programmes.
A key feature of the national qualifications framework which TEASTAS will now develop will be structured progression pathways for students and trainees, including PLC students, though the education and training sytem in order to maximise the opportunities and options open to students and to meet the continually changing requirements of the economy for skilled personnel. Such progression structures will include systematic arrangements for progression to third-level programmes.
My objective is to recognise and underpin the importance of post-leaving certificate programmes, in meeting the diverse needs of students and the economy. It is not the intention to assimilate the sector into the third-level sector but rather to provide clear avenues for progression, within the context of a nationally and internationally recognised certification and qualifications framework. This is the policy direction set out in the White Paper on Education,Charting our Education Future. The establishment of TEASTAS is a major and concrete manifestation of my commitment to the implementation of this policy.
The Deputy will also be aware that, as a first step towards establishing ladders of progression to higher levels of training, I have approved a pilot initiative by the council of directors of regional technical colleges, in conjunction with the National Council for Vocational Awards, whereby places on selected courses in the regional technical college-DIT sector were allocated in 1995 on the basis of attainment achieved in the NCVA Level 2 Awards by candidates on PLC courses.