Sir, - I would like to clarify my letter of September 19th for those making judgments on my opinion. I objected to suggestions in your edition of September 17th that some students find it easy to get into college because of their background and social class.
Sir, - I would like to clarify my letter of September 19th for those making judgments on my opinion. I objected to suggestions in your edition of September 17th that some students find it easy to get into college because of their background and social class. It is not easy for anyone, regardless of who they are, to get into college. That was the point I wished to make.
Perhaps social prejudice is the underlying problem, and not my comments. I did not raise the subject of less advantaged students, nor did I deny or belittle the problems confronting them. I empathise fully with them, and object to assumptions being made regarding where my sympathies lie.
I did not intend to offend, and I regret if I did so inadvertently.- Yours, etc.,
CIARA BRENNAN,
Killiney Road,
Killiney,
Co Dublin.
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Sir, - Your Education Editor, Sean Flynn, highlighted the gross inequality at the heart of our educational system. Students should have by right a choice of the course they wish to pursue. They should decide their own course rather than the present lottery.
Many people believe that the CAO system is turning our secondary school children into battery performers whose time in school is increasingly moving away from being a positive learning and creative environment into an exam treadmill. Is this the way we want the next generation to grow up?
There is a serious need to look at priorities throughout the education system. There is one simple test that should be applied. Is everyone getting the same chance to go third level and an attempt to excel in the discipline of their choice?
HEA figures show that children of unskilled and low paid workers only make up 2 per cent of third-level numbers, yet they come from a social grouping that makes up 25 per cent of the population.
Access to education will only be made really available to all when
(a) Those who can afford to pay third level fees, do pay, and
(b) The maintenance grant is boosted to a realistic level so those who need it can pursue full-time study.
Maintenance grants, though increasing this year by 5 per cent, are still not even half-way able to fund students through the cost of accommodation, eating, travel, buying texts, and other day-to-day study costs. The result is that tens of thousands of our students outside the fee-paying second level system are excluded.
Students of independent colleges normally attend the same courses (validated by HETAC) as students in institutes of technology, but have to pay fees and cannot even apply for maintenance grants!
With the new academic year approaching, now is the time to bring all those involved in third-level education to plan a better and fairer third-level experience for all our students. We look forward to Mr Dempsey creating an equal playing pitch and delivering on his commitment. It seems that there is a lot "more to do". - Yours, etc.,
RONAN FENELON,
Director of Admissions,
Griffith College,
Dublin 8.