Main barriers to reaching third level revealed

BAD school experiences, financial constraints and poor information are among the main barriers to prevent students from lower socio-economic groups studying at third-level.

The ESRI claims many students from the “lower non-manual group” also suffer from a poor understanding of the available financial supports and actual costs of going to college.

The ESRI expressed concern that perceived financial barriers often played a crucial role in a young person’s decision not to continue their studies at third-level.

Another recent study showed how students from the lower non-manual group had not shared in the general trend of increased participation in third-level education.

Such a group, which accounts for just under 10% of the population, includes lower-level services workers such as chefs, bus drivers and hairdressers.

ESRI researcher Dr Selina McCoy said such a group had not previously been regarded as disadvantaged. She claimed a lack of self-belief and poor aspirations were often found in such students with bad experiences of second-level school.

Second-level students pupils who skipped school, misbehaved and had a poor relationship with teachers were at a greater risk of disengagement from education, according to the study.

Going to college was perceived as an extension of school for this group of students and therefore it was largely avoided, observed Dr McCoy.

She pointed out low levels of school completion and poor performance in students were ineligible to go on to study at third-level. Even those who had passed their Leaving Cert were still in the group least likely to apply for a college place. The ESRI said the renewed focus on higher education was largely due the severe deterioration in job opportunities for young people which had seen many of them return to college.

However, it also warned the current economic situation was likely to negatively impact on third-level participation rates among students for lower socio- economic groups.