College bosses warn of cuts to courses

THE highest number of school leavers in six years face the prospect of reduced choices on college courses with third-level chiefs warning that further funding cuts will impact on the level of services they can offer next autumn.

As the Higher Education Authority (HEA) warned university bosses to prepare for tighter staffing restrictions next year, in addition to the 6% cuts required on their pay budgets since 2008, it emerged that student numbers sitting the Leaving Certificate next week could be the highest since 2005.

The State Examinations Commission has 55,783 entrants this year, 400 more than at the same time in 2009 and up from just 52,000 in 2006, although numbers actually taking exams usually falls slightly between application stage and June each year.