Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 29 Jun 2000

Vol. 522 No. 4

Written Answers. - Third Level Education.

Róisín Shortall

Question:

284 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Science the information, if any, which is gathered in relation to the participation of different socio-economic groups in third level education; the manner in which this information is gathered; the current participation rates; if he has set target rates; and the steps he is taking to meet these targets. [19043/00]

Minister for Education and Science (Dr. Woods)

Information in relation to the participation of different socio-economic groups in third-level education is not available on a current basis. However, the fourth in the series of national surveys of entrants to higher education, which has been carried out at six year intervals by Professor Patrick Clancy of UCD, on behalf of the Higher Education Authority, is expected to be published shortly.

This series, which was last published by the Higher Education Authority in November 1995 – Access to College: Patterns of Continuity and Change – aims to describe the pattern of participation in higher education in Ireland, including the social background of entrants to higher education.

The main analysis of the social background of entrants is based on the occupations of parents classified into one of the 11 socio-economic groups used in the census of population. The study has been based primarily on an analysis of personal, demographic and educational data, which were abstracted from individual student records, both from the colleges and from the CAO, supplemented by a direct approach to the new entrants in order to obtain data on their socio-economic background. The research is undertaken in conditions of the strictest confidentiality.

The 1995 survey, based on data for 1980, 1986 and 1992, found large disparities by socio-economic group in access to higher education. Notwithstanding the persistence of high levels of socio-economic group inequality, the survey revealed that a significant reduction in inequality had occurred over the period.

The 1995 survey gave the following data in relation to participation ratios in respect of higher education entrants in 1992:

Fathers' socio-economic status of 1992 entrants to higher education and participation ratios by socio-economic group

Socio Economic Group	%Entrants	%Participation Ratio
Farmers	16.7	1.35
Other Agricultural	1.8	0.60
Higher Professional	10.4	2.47
Lower Professional	7.2	1.47
Employers and Managers	16.4	1.86
Salaried Employees	4.0	1.48
Intermediate Non-Manual	10.2	0.91
Other Non-Manual	9.3	0.72
Skilled Manual	18.3	0.71
Semi-Skilled Manual	2.6	0.44
Unskilled Manual	3.0	0.37

The participation ratio is calculated by applying the percentage of entrants from a particular grouping to the percentage of the national population of a specific age cohort in the grouping.

A number of measures are in place at third-level to tackle educational disadvantage.

A disadvantaged fund was introduced by my Department in 1994. This comprises two main elements, namely (i) the student assistance-access fund for third level institutions and (ii) the special fund for students with disabilities. The student assistance access fund provides financial support to disadvantaged students who might otherwise, because of financial reasons suffer severe hardship or be unable to continue their third level studies. The amounts allocated to this fund have increased from £120,000 in 1994 to £1,296,000 in 1999.

In addition, the third level colleges have developed initiatives to tackle the problem of access for disadvantaged students to third level education through targeted funding provided to the universities by the higher education authority and funding from within the overall financial allocations to the institutes of technology. These initiatives involve links with second level schools and local communities.

Since 1996, the Higher Education Authority has provided funding for initiatives in a number of universities, including an initiative specifically related to improving the participation of socially and economically disadvantaged school leavers. Funding for this measure has increased from £260,000 in 1996 to £785,000 in 1999. The Higher Education Authority has commissioned Dr. Bob Osborne of the University of Ulster to undertake an evaluation of this initiative and I understand that his report will be published by the Higher Education Authority shortly.

The Commission on the Points System, in its final report, published in 1999, made a number of recommendations in relation to disadvantaged students. The principal recommendation is that the quota for disadvantaged students in third level education should be increased to 5% of the intake into third level education. It further recommends that the longer term aspiration should be to increase the percentage of disadvantaged young people in third level education so that it would reflect more accurately their proportion in the population as a whole. The report of the commission is currently being considered by my officials and planning for an implementation strategy is under way.

As part of the Government's wider strategy for social inclusion, a comprehensive £194 million plan to tackle educational disadvantage was launched in December 1999. The National Development Plan 2000-2006 establishes education as a key priority of Government. The plan provides for a third level access fund totalling £95 million. Building on the existing arrangements, the development of third level access is necessary to promote the participation of students with disabilities, students from disadvantaged backgrounds and mature "second chance" students.