Colleges fail to cut course numbers

Education Minister Jan O’Sullivan is satisfied with third-level colleges’ changes to entry systems, despite most having failed so far to significantly reduce course numbers from which Leaving Certificate students can choose.

As highlighted by the Irish Examiner last week, there are still more than 1,000 honours (level 8) degrees to pick from at the seven universities and 14 institutes of technology.

In 2011, when a ‘Transition’ conference of education groups recommended fewer courses to help reduce high points requirements, there were 843 level 8 degrees offered at 43 colleges through the Central Applications Office (CAO). But that had risen to 953 at 45 colleges a year ago.