Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 7 July 2022
21. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will provide an update on measures to support students of DEIS schools to access further and higher education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36751/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAdopting a whole-of-education perspective is critical in terms of transitions to further and higher education. Early intervention and early educational experiences are crucial in this regard.
My Department, therefore, works collaboratively with the Department of Education applying those principles to support successful transitions to further and higher education, including from DEIS schools.
Work on the development of the new National Access Plan (NAP) for the period 2022 - 2028 is almost complete. It is my intention to bring a Memorandum to Government on the new NAP shortly and publish the strategy early in the next quarter.
Priority groups under the new NAP will continue to include students from socio-economically disadvantaged groups that have low participation in higher education. The indicators that help to inform progress on NAP implementation and the delivery of increased equity of access include entry to higher education from students who have attended DEIS schools.
There has been demonstrable success in supporting transitions from DEIS schools to higher education. At the commencement of the last National Access Plan in 2015, 3,959 students entered higher education. By the 2020/21 academic year, this had increased to 5,320 new entrants from DEIS schools.
This finding is in line with a Department of Education report from 2021 which noted an increase in the transition rates of those attending DEIS schools to higher education in 2020.
These transitions have been supported in a variety of ways including the Programme for Access to Higher Education (PATH) programme, the Higher Education Access Route (HEAR) and the Education and Training Boards Ireland work on supporting DEIS learner’s transition to FET.
We will continue to measure entry to higher education for those attending DEIS schools over the lifetime of the new Plan to ensure we maintain a high level of ambition for all of our learners.
