In recent years, we have seen a plethora of reports highlighting the so called "drop-out" problem at third-level. An average of about 17 per cent of all university students leave without completing their course. In the 13 Institutes of Technology (ITs), the problem is even worse with over 42 per cent failing to finish their course. These figures are shocking from several aspects.
Given the high cost to the Exchequer of third-level education, it represents a significant waste of public funding at a time when the national budget is under intense pressure. But there is also the enormous human cost. The decision to drop out of college can have a crushing impact on a student's morale and self-esteem.
The Council of Directors of the Institutes of Technology are to be commended for their response to the problem. Their report, published yesterday, is a comprehensive attempt to discover why students are opting out of the system and what can be done to address the problem.
The report - prepared by the Education Research Centre at St Patrick's College, Drumcondra - surveyed over 1,300 first-year national certificate students. Although most students prosper in the ITs , the report highlights a significant minority who are ill at ease in college. Some 35 per cent admitted to feeling "lost" when they entered college. Remarkably, few students gained much prior knowledge of the course they had selected before embarking on it. Only 55 per cent had received guidance on their choice of course and just 11 per cent said they had a good prior understanding of it. Almost one-in-three students believed their option was too difficult for them. Students were particularly ill-prepared for courses which required a high level of maths knowledge.
The report raises a series of questions about the education system. Does the guidance counsellingservice at second-level require a review? Should the colleges do more to provide information about their courses? What is to be done about the growing crisis in Maths? Is the Leaving Certificate - with its reliance on rote learning a poor preparation for third-level?
The authors of the report make it clear they favour radical measures in all these areas to achieve change. They want more counselling at second-level, a new mentoring system in the colleges and reform of the Leaving Cert.
The new Minister for Education, Mr Dempsey, who has welcomed the report, has a stimulating document on his desk. He should not be slow to act on its main recommendations.