South-east becoming an education ‘black hole’

WHILE the number of people who completed their education with a third level qualification increased by more than 180,000 nationally between 2002 and 2006, new figures show that the south-east still lags behind academically.

Just 2% of adults in the south-east have a degree and professional qualification, compared to 3% nationally, according to the Central Statistics Office. This statistic alone highlights the “critical need” for a university in the region, according toWaterford Institute of Technology (WIT) governing body chairman Redmond O’Donoghue.

“The case for a university in the south-east has always been clear.