Funding call for third-level study entry

THE Government should invest more money in post Leaving Certificate courses which provide a gateway to third-level education, according a report released yesterday. The Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) studied the education and training of school leavers between 1982 and 1998 who did not immediately go on to third-level education.

The findings reflect the growth in number and variety of further education courses, particularly those offered by vocational colleges and post Leaving Cert centres in the past decade. These qualifications offer young people a route to accessing higher education courses at university or institute of technology level.

The ESRI research found that over 40% of students who completed the Leaving Certificate between 1992 and 1997 went on to non-third-level full-time education. Half of that number later obtained a qualification from university or institutes of technology.

This compared to less than 20% who finished school between 1982 and 1987, of whom just over half went on to receive a higher education qualification.

“The provision of post Leaving Cert and similar programmes has improved access for those in lower socio-economic groups as a route to third level. It means the Leaving Cert is no longer an abrupt end for those not going straight to higher education,” said ESRI research officer Dr Selina McCoy.

“These colleges are doing very good work, and the Government should be moving in the direction of more investment in this crucial education sector,” she said.

The research she conducted with Prof Damian Hannan and Audrey Doyle found around 10% of students who leave school after their Junior Cert go back to do the Leaving Cert three or four years later.

It also found employers are increasingly demanding higher qualifications and those without any are more likely to remain out of work for longer than in the past.

Dr McCoy suggested the difficulty retaining young people in second level could be addressed by allowing credits for the Leaving Cert be accumulated over a number of years, rather than sitting all the exams in a single period.

Between 1982-1998, the level of school leavers who had secured the Leaving Cert rose from 60% to 80%. The numbers going straight into third level from school increased from 24% to 36%.