We are pleased to have the opportunity to speak to the committee on the issue of part-time fees, which has been a key campaign issue for us for a number of years. The NYCI is an umbrella organisation for 54 youth organisations throughout the country. Educational disadvantage and educational policy are key issues for us. We contribute to a number of statutory bodies on equality of access to education, lifelong learning and life-wide education, which we believe are an integral part of a fair, equitable and fully inclusive education system.
As Mr. Doorley said, I am joined by Ms Anna Kavanagh, our research and policy officer. I intend to speak for approximately five to ten minutes on the issue, highlighting a number of key points. We will then be pleased to answer any questions the members may have.
I circulated a paper to members which contains additional information but essentially, the rationale for the abolition of part-time fees is the need to improve, promote and resource a range of education and training opportunities on a lifelong basis. That is an issue which is generally acknowledge to be very important. Fundamentally, investment in lifelong learning is essential in an ever changing economic market, particularly in the context of a developing technological society. In such an environment, employees must upgrade and upskill throughout their working lives. It is also important that the State ensures that employees are given opportunities to improve their skills throughout their life cycle.
I have highlighted a number of benefits to introducing a targeted approach to alleviating part-time fees. There is a myriad of social, economic and personal benefits to be derived from introducing a targeted approach to removing part-time fees. In terms of the benefits to the individual, research confirms that education plays an integral part in positively influencing life chances. The barriers that we know exist for many seeking to access and participate in higher education will be removed by adopting a targeted approach to the abolition of fees. This is particularly true of second-chance learners who left school early without formal qualifications.
Society also benefits in terms of providing access to higher education so that we can shape the social, intellectual, cultural and economic development of the country. Most importantly, it is the key to unlocking the cycle of poverty and breaking the cycle of intergenerational educational disadvantage and enabling adults, as parents, to assist their children in learning and development.
The economic benefits speak for themselves. It is a major selling point for a new, knowledge-based economy which provides a well-developed education and training system and a work force that is adaptable and willing to learn new skills. The provision of free part-time third level education is an essential component in the creation of such a knowledge-based economy, allowing us to compete internationally.
It is important to acknowledge that this issue has been on the agenda for quite some time. Over the last decade, successive Government reports have highlighted part-time fees as a barrier to access and participation in further and higher education, especially among those from lower socio-economic backgrounds. It has been the focus of successive Government reports which have addressed the issue from an equity and access perspective. I have highlighted the reports in the paper I circulated to members and they include the green and white papers on adult education, a number of social partnership agreements, the report of the action group on access to third level, the report of the task force on lifelong learning and so forth. The list is endless.
The report of the task force on lifelong learning examined the issue and analysed the arguments in favour and against the abolition of fees. It concluded that it was critically important to remove the fees barrier which deters a return to learning, if the key objective is to raise the qualifications of the adult population. This is important for improving competitiveness and promoting social cohesion.
It is also important to note that Ireland has a very low rate of participation in non-formal, job-related education and training vis-à-vis the level of educational attainment when compared with other OECD countries. The table at the back of the paper I circulated demonstrates this clearly. Last year the OECD published a report which showed that Ireland’s performance in terms of investment in lifelong learning was below the OECD average and significantly behind our European neighbours. In Ireland only 11% of the work force is engaged in education and training, compared to 39% in Denmark, 27% in the United Kingdom, and 19% in Austria. It is also important to note, in putting that figure into context, that most of those engaged in education and training in Ireland are already qualified and do not represent the unskilled or those without formal qualifications.
Ireland's expenditure on education has decreased from 5% of GDP in 1995 to 4.7% in 2004, which is well below the OECD average of 5.4%. Expenditure per student at third level is also below the OECD average.
It is important to highlight the impact of part-time fees, which make further and higher education unobtainable for many students. The cost of financing a part-time course places a considerable burden on students who already struggle to balance work and family responsibilities and, in some cases, bear the costs of child care. Access to education is expensive and part-time study is often the only viable option for people with family and work responsibilities. If the State is serious about reconciling work and family life, it needs to address the issue of part-time fees.
We were pleased that the negotiations for the current social partnership agreement resulted in a commitment on abolishing part-time fees for students in employment and attending public institutions who never previously pursued third level education. This was a first step in the right direction and went some way towards improving access to higher education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities through targeted measures. We also welcomed the commitment in the current programme for Government on the introduction of a new system of means tested free fees for approved part-time courses and the recognition of the need for incentives for colleges to develop more flexible and diverse course structures to enable people with family and work obligations to avail of third level opportunities. However, no progress has been made on these commitments. The Government needs to honour them by establishing targeted schemes for free fees in approved part-time courses for employees attending public institutions who never previously pursued third level education. The scheme should be in place to benefit students commencing academic courses in September 2008.
The arguments in favour of removing part-time fees on a targeted basis are convincing. If we as a society are committed to providing a fair and equitable education system that embraces the principle of lifelong learning, the removal of part-time fees should begin immediately. Education should be a right for everyone and in accordance with the life cycle model adopted in Towards 2016 it should be accessible to all, irrespective of age. I have highlighted the social, economic and individual benefits of introducing a free part-time fees scheme. We believe it should be introduced on a targeted basis with free fees for approved part-time courses for employees attending public institutions who have never previously pursued third level education. This has been on the agenda for more than ten years but limited progress has been made. I would be happy to respond to any questions which arise from my presentation.
