Madam, – It is with regret, but no surprise, that I heard the Minister of Education had submitted “observations” on third-level funding to his Cabinet colleagues with the possible re-introduction of fees. The media has presented the re-introduction of fees as a fait accompli as early as last summer. Third-level institutions appear to welcome such suggestions, citing that they urgently require extra funding. I would suggest they are being foolishly short- sighted.
My 16-year-old has considerable musical ability and we have been funding his musical education from a young age. This year his fees in the Dublin Institute of Technology increased by 17.8 per cent for his principal instrument and 14 per cent for his second instrument – and this at a time of deflation. Music is my son’s vocational choice and, with music theory and master classes, the annual fees run into thousands. The explanation given to me was that all part-time courses in the institutions were now to be self-supporting as the Higher Education Authority had withdrawn funding. Just like that.
The institutions appear now to have carte blanche to charge what they like to cover costs. There is no reason the same cannot happen for third-level full-time courses. Once fees are reintroduced the Government can cut funding and we know just how eagerly it is seeking opportunities to do that.
The Leaving Certificate is a difficult and arduous examination but only a stepping stone in today’s competitive jobs market. The third-level institutions should be fighting to sustain the right of all Irish students to one free primary degree/diploma and to maintain existing levels of funding. I am using one practical example to argue against the introduction of fees. There are other more learned arguments to do with such things as a vision for the future, investment and belief in our young people, citizens’ rights, deprivation of one generation of something that the last generation took for granted, and a loan system causing mass emigration of graduates. Opposition parties, where are you? – Yours, etc,