Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 15 September 2021
816. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he plans to continue the supports for students of agricultural colleges arising as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic for the 2021-2022 academic year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44077/21]
View answerTo ensure parity with learner supports in the wider education sector, I instructed the Department to provide Teagasc with once off funding of over €150,000 to enable disadvantaged Teagasc learners purchase laptops and to provide financial assistance to full-time learners in the Agricultural Colleges for the 2020/2021 academic year.
The measures were in recognition of the unique challenges facing learners in 2020/2021. In adjusting to the challenges posed by COVID-19 we were conscious, at the time, of the need to minimise the risk of a ‘digital divide’ arising for disadvantaged learners moving to a blended learning environment. I understand from Teagasc that the lap-top scheme is being extended to 2021/2022 academic year as there is some equipment to hand.
Teagasc agricultural colleges have reopened with COVID -19 measures implemented for the safety of learners and staff. Course delivery across Teagasc programmes continues to utilise a hybrid model. Both theory and practical instruction to full-time students in colleges is mainly being delivered on a face to face basis. Adult education courses delivered from both Colleges and Regional Education Centres are utilising a greater proportion of online delivery in addition to face-to-face teaching and practicals. The approach being adopted in Teagasc is in line with developments elsewhere in the education sector.
