FG: Govt stifling further education

The further education sector is being stifled by the Government due to its failure to implement a key report, it was claimed today.

The McIver report recommended extra staffing and new structures for Post Leaving Certificate (PLC) colleges, which currently provide an alternative to universities and ITs for 30,000 students.

But Fine Gael education spokeswoman Olwyn Enright said the Government had done nothing since the report was published three years ago.

“In order to be able to work to its potential, the further education sector needs greater flexibility, funding, autonomy and support. By failing to put in place supports for further education, this Government is not allowing the sector to develop and is stifling its ability to grow,” she said.

The McIver report said PLCs should be given resources to pay for more librarians, computer technicians and full-time managers. A Council of Further Education Colleges should be set up to oversee the sector as part of the reforms, which are estimated to cost 45 million euro.

Ms Enright said PLCs were particularly valuable for mature students.

“Further education colleges can devise courses at short notice, and can provide courses which are especially relevant to the work place. This is important for those who wish to upskill, return to the workplace, or enter the workplace for the first time,” she said.

Significantly more mature students enrol in PLC courses than in third-level colleges, with over half of the students aged over 20 and one fifth over 30.

Although there are more than 1,000 PLC courses available in 230 schools and colleges, the sector is one of the few in Europe which does not have a formal structure.

“Action to support the further education sector should be taken, and Education Minister Mary Hanafin should start by saying clearly which of the McIver Report recommendations she will have in place for the next academic year,” said Ms Enright.

The failure to implement the report has attracted criticism from the Teachers Union of Ireland, most of whose members work in the PLC sector, and from the junior partner in the Government.

Progressive Democrats TD Liz O’Donnell described PLCs earlier this month as the Cinderella of the education system and said that progress on helping them was inert and lacklustre.

Education Minister Mary Hanafin has told the Dail that talks were continuing with relevant parties to prioritise the next steps.

“There are clearly complex issues involved, given the scale and wider impacts of the recommendations and the challenges presented by the variation in sizes of PLC providers,” she said.