Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 19 February 2004
75 Mr. Penrose asked the Minister for Education and Science his views on the suggestion made by the skills initiative unit that students from disadvantaged backgrounds should get additional points for college entry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5251/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe suggestion referred to by the Deputy is contained within the discussion report, The Points System: A Review Needed ?, recently produced by the skills initiative unit. This report sought to promote discussion of the points system in order to seek if possible a more effective and equitable admissions process.
The suggestion by the skills initiative unit is interesting, however increasing access through the allocation of additional points to disadvantaged school leavers needs to be balanced with a careful consideration of how best to support the subsequent participation in and completion of third level courses by students who have experienced prior socio-economic and educational disadvantage. Some thinking and development of a national strategy for this area has already occurred through the work of the action group on access and is being progressed through the work of the educational disadvantage committee and the National Office for Equity of Access to Higher Education.
Detailed consideration was given to the most effective means of increasing access and supporting participation of disadvantaged school leavers by the action group on access in 2001 who recommended a threefold strategy, based on prior leaving certificate attainment. It was recommended that disadvantaged school leavers who achieve over three hundred points in their leaving certificate should be facilitated in entering third level institutions through a system of reserved places with direct entry. It was also recommended that students who achieve only minimum matriculation requirements for entry to higher education are at high risk if they enter third level without further preparation and would need to be supported through a system of pre-entry preparatory programmes as well as reserved places with direct entry. It was recommended that those students who have not attained minimum matriculation requirements for entry would benefit most from the undertaking of bridging courses in the further education sector.
Alternative entry mechanisms to college for disadvantaged school leavers being implemented by third level institutions operate mainly through students entering directly on the basis of having being assessed under a system of alternative admissions criteria. These criteria would include a student having attended a designated disadvantaged school for the entire duration of their second level studies, having achieved a certain points threshold in their leaving certificate and in general being highly motivated and interested in studying at third level. Other socio-economic criteria taken into consideration would include a family background of long-term unemployment, low income, little or no progression to higher education. Other strategies being pursued in institutions include disadvantaged school leavers being offered a place following the successful undertaking of either an access or foundation course or a post-leaving certificate course under the higher education links scheme.
Currently six of the HEA funded institutions, University College, Dublin, NUI Maynooth, University College, Cork, Dublin City University, University of Limerick, Trinity College Dublin and the Dublin Institute of Technology are collaborating in the operation of a higher education direct applications scheme as a means of allocating direct entry places to socio-economically disadvantaged school leavers. The scheme is open to pupils attending all designated disadvantaged schools linked to the access schemes of the institutions involved and essentially operates as a 'mini-CAO' type applications system, whereby the seven institutions pool their reserved places, adopt a common application form and co-ordinate the making of offers so as to avoid duplication between institutions. This scheme has facilitated increasing numbers of disadvantaged school leavers in attending participant institutions with over 1,400 offers of third level places having being made since 2000.
The National Office for Equity of Access to Higher Education has recently been established within the Higher Education Authority. The work of the this office will include the devising of a national strategy on equity of access to higher education, including consideration as to the most effective means of increasing participation from amongst disadvantaged school leavers.
The suggestion referred to by Deputy Penrose is, therefore, under consideration within my Department in the context of the work of the educational disadvantage committee and the National Office for Equity of Access to Higher Education.
