There is much that is encouraging in the ESRI/HEA survey on third-level participation published yesterday. Overall, participation in higher education now stands at 55 per cent of 17-19 year-olds, an increase of no less than 11 per cent since 1998.
The survey is the fifth of its kind since Dr Pat Clancy of UCD began his pioneering work on the social background of third-level students in the 1980s. His work has charted a transformation in Irish society since 1980. In the space of a generation, participation at third level has increased from a meagre 20 per cent of 17-19 years olds in 1980 to almost three times that figure. The participation rate is even higher when the large number of students going to college in Northern Ireland and in Britain is included.
The Minister for Education, Mary Hanafin, says the rising tide of economic progress has helped to benefit virtually all sides of Irish society. But it has not lifted all boats. Students from some of the south Dublin suburbs are still up to eight times more likely to proceed to third level than teenagers from the north inner-city. Remarkably, participation by non-manual workers in third level has actually declined in recent years. Meanwhile, university education in this State remains dominated by the children of the professional and managerial classes and farmers to an extent unmatched in most other EU states. Progress has been made but the overall picture remains patchy.
It would also be good to hear what plans the Minister has to increase the retention rate - the number of students remaining on after Junior Cert - especially in boys' second-level schools. The Minister is right when she says that students who remain on to take the Leaving are very likely to go on to college. That is why the whole issue of retention after Junior Cert needs a concentrated focus and not once-off initiatives.
Reform of the higher education grant scheme would also do much to help students from less prosperous backgrounds make it to college. The "top up" grants for poorer students have helped but a radical shake-up of the grants system could achieve even more. Labour's Jan O'Sullivan is correct when she says that the children of many ordinary PAYE families are still losing out, while those much better off among the farmers and the self-employed continue to draw down the grants. The case for reform of the grants was spelt out by the de Buitléir report over a decade ago. It detailed how rich farmers and business people could work the current system to their benefit. Ms Hanafin would do well to address this scandal without any further delay.