Michael Creed
Question:211 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Education and Science the threshold level for disadvantaged students gaining entry into third level education. [10082/01]
Written Answers. - Educational Disadvantage.
The individual third level colleges operate special admission arrangements for mature students, disadvantaged students and students with disabilities, outside of the general admissions procedure through the Central Applications Office.
In the area of educational disadvantage, there is a range of initiatives spanning the first and second level systems and the transition from second to third level as well as at third level itself. As the Deputy will appreciate, fuller participation in third level depends on measures to ensure access to and retention of students in full-time education at first and second levels. Most third level colleges have developed initiatives to promote disadvantaged access, through targeted funding which I have provided for the universities through 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 and examples of these activities include supervised study programmes, summer schools, study skills programmes and mentoring. There are two aspects to these programmes, one involving assistance for students to meet the points requirements for courses, enabling them to obtain a third level place through the standard CAO entry procedure. The other aspect of the programmes is the special entry arrangements through which more flexible entry criteria are applied and various supports are put in place for students entering by this method.
The need to target resources at those most in need is well recognised and underpins my approach to tackling disadvantage. In this regard there is provision within the national development plan for a third level access fund totalling £95 million over the period of the plan, aimed at tackling under-representation by the three target groups, students from disadvantaged backgrounds, mature students and students with disabilities. Last September I appointed an action group on access to third level education to advise me on the development of a co-ordinated framework to promote access by students from the three target groups. The group was asked to advise on the specific interventions which would be most effective in making further progress in this area. I have now received the report of the action group. I am considering the recommendations and hope to be in a position to make an initial response in the near future.
With regard to increased participation rates, The Social Background of Higher Education Entrants, and previous reports, compiled for the Higher Education Authority by Professor Patrick Clancy and Ms Joy Wall, tracks the changing social background of entrants to higher education in over almost two decades. The current work is based on new entrants to higher education in autumn 1998 and provides a comprehensive profile on the social background of entrants. The report shows that there has been a significant improvement in the proportion of students coming from the two lowest socio-economic groups entering higher education. In 1980, only 3% of students coming from the unskilled manual workers group entered higher education. This increased to 12% in 1992 and 22% in 1998. In 1980, only 9% of students coming from the semi-skilled manual workers group entered higher education. This has increased to 19% in 1992 and 23% in 1998. All groups show a participation rate of more than 20%, a major contrast with the position in 1980.