Sir, – As one who organised and ran a university access course for over 12 years, I believe that the greatest problem for students who suffer disadvantage in education is finance.
In cases of poverty, it is not sufficient to achieve the entry standard but it has to be possible for parents and student to survive the additional financial burden that attendance at university entails. The cost of attendance and the inability to contribute to family income for a period of three to four years are serious disincentives for well-qualified aspirants. If a serious attempt at inclusion of socially disadvantaged youth is to be made, a well thought-out scholarship scheme is a must. It should be means-tested as well as ability-proofed and be in addition to the existing grant scheme. – Yours, etc,
Prof MATTHEW
A HARMEY,
Dublin 8.
Sir, – Being blunt about the issue, we are looking at a class difference – those with money and education assume that their children will go the third level and so they do.
This effect is universal and not confined to Ireland: uneven societies have uneven access to education, health, holidays – in fact anything you care to look at. The success of an access programme is that it starts early and supports in depth over time, seeing the potential student as a person and not a number.
If we are serious about assisting the most able students into third level, from wherever they come, the place to start is not “sort out the postcode lottery” but to put in a real effort at primary school and before to ensure that those coming from disadvantaged families and without adequate social supports are helped so that they also can reach their full potential, whether that is a university degree or a manual job. – Yours, etc,
PATRICK DAVEY,
Shankill,
Dublin 18.