TUI demands overhaul of further education

FURTHER education colleges with hundreds of computers do not have dedicated technical staff because of outdated structures, the Teachers Union of Ireland (TUI) has claimed.

The union is widening its campaign for restructuring the sector, which has 30,000 students taking part in further education and Post Leaving Certificate (PLC) courses. It has sent postcards to students, to be signed and returned to the TUI, which will present them to the Department of Education.

TUI assistant general secretary Annette Dolan said it is three years since the McIver report called for major changes to how the sector is operated. However, the bulk of its contents have yet to be implemented as discussions continue on which elements get priority.

“The recommendations of this report will grant students in PLC colleges parity of service with their peers in universities and institutes of technology with the provision of libraries, study areas, canteens, social areas and student unions,” Ms Dolan said.

“Specialist staff need to be deployed in PLC colleges to provide the structures typical in modern international further education sectors. For example, it’s not unusual for a college with 300 computers to have no official dedicated technician, relying instead on the goodwill of existing staff,” she added.

There are hopes that an announcement on the estimated €45 million annual implementation might be made soon. Education Minister Mary Hanafin will speak at TUI’s annual congress next week.

“Lifelong learning is now a necessity, not a luxury and it is these colleges that are best suited to deal with this challenge,” Ms Dolan said.