Written Answers. - Third Level Education.
Seán Ryan
Question:
148
Mr. S. Ryan
asked the
Minister for Education and Science
the terms of reference of the study of third level education commissioned from the OECD; when it is expected that the study will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[15749/03]
The draft terms of reference for the study referred to by the Deputy are under preparation. Initial discussions have taken place with the OECD in this context and a timeframe for the study will be agreed in this regard.
Ruairí Quinn
Question:
149
Mr. Quinn
asked the
Minister for Education and Science
the total amount of money spent to date by his Department in implementing the recommendations made in the report of the action group on access to third level education; if a timetable has been set for the implementation of the outstanding recommendations; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[15742/03]
The action group's report was published in July 2001. Departmental expenditure on third level access measures since 2001 has been as follows:
|
2001
|
€15.3 million.
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|
2002
|
€23.98 million.
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|
2003
|
€26.0 million (provision)
|
The most significant spending recommendation of the report of the action group on access to third level education concerned the introduction of special rates of maintenance grants for disadvantaged students, commonly referred to as top-up grants. These recommendations were introduced, with retrospective effect, from the 2000-01 academic year.
Following a review early in 2002, I increased the annual income threshold for the special rates by 32%. For 2002-03, I also increased the special rate of grant to €4,000 for students residing more than 15 miles from college and to €1,600 for students residing within 15 miles of college. This is equivalent to a "top-up" of €1,490 and €596 respectively, for eligible students, on the ordinary maintenance grant. As a result of the review, it was expected that the number of students qualifying for the "top-up" grant in 2002-03 would double to 7,000 students. Recent figures show that this target was exceeded with approximately 7,500 students receiving the "top-up" grant in 2002-03.
A new millennium partnership fund for disadvantage was introduced with effect from 2001. The fund provides assistance to partnership companies and community groups to develop their support schemes for students from disadvantaged families. Area Development Management, ADM Limited under whose aegis the partnerships operate, administered the fund for the 2001-02 academic year. The total allocation for the 2001-02 academic year was €1.2 million, with 37 partnerships and community groups receiving allocations from the fund. For 2002-03, I increased the provision for the fund to €2 million. ADM Limited, which is continuing to administer the fund, notified 50 area partnerships and community groups of their allocations in respect of the 2002-03 academic year. The report of the action group on access to third level education sets out a co-ordinated framework of actions required to improve equity of access to third-level. The group considered that a single co-ordinating body was essential in order to realise the framework. Accordingly, a key recommendation of the group was that a national office for equity of access to higher education be established to ensure the effective implementation of many of the recommendations in the report.
I have given approval for the establishment of the national office for equity of access to higher education, within the Higher Education Authority. My Department is engaged in discussions with the Higher Education Authority with a view to bringing the national office into operation in time for the academic year 2003-04. I anticipate that the national office will facilitate the aim of increasing third level access by the three target groups, in partnership with my Department, the third level institutions and other stakeholders and agencies. Some of the action group's recommendations relate to the achieving of targets for access to third level education, over the period of the national development plan, in regard to students from disadvantaged backgrounds, mature students and students with a disability.
I am committed to progressing these, and other, recommendations in the report of the action group on access to third level education and to ensuring that the issue of equity of access to third level education remains a priority during my tenure of office as Minister for Education and Science. The Deputy will be aware that on 25 May I announced a package of measures costing €42 million in a full year to address the problem of disadvantage in third level education. The package comprises an increase in the maintenance grant levels by 15%, a significant increase in the income thresholds for purposes of determining grant eligibility and an expansion in the number of thresholds, benefiting a greater number of students, an increase in the top income threshold from €36,897 to €40,000, ensuring that a significantly higher number of students from households with moderate incomes will not have to pay the €670 student service charge, an increase in the amount of the higher rate of the top-up grant to the level of the maximum personal rate of unemployment assistance.
