Allowance cut will deter postgraduates
Such a decision is not easily made in light of all the expenses incurred while at college, not to mention the costs associated with raising a family, which is often another huge expense for many of these students. It is, however, a conscious decision to try and further one’s own skills and knowledge in order to get back into the workforce.
Over the last number of months there has been much discussion of access to our third-level education system and hard questions have been posed by all sides.
To think, however, that amid this debate, the Minister for Family and Social Affairs, Mary Coughlan, would be able to cut this allowance for all undergraduates and abolish it for all postgraduates (excluding postgraduate education courses) is criminal.
We now have a system whereby some of the very people that were the subject of this recent debate are now victims to another barrier to higher education.
To think that with one of the lowest take-up rates of postgraduate courses in Europe (circa 1%), we would choose to discourage students from engaging in this level of education, might lead one to believe the government is often more spin than substance when it comes to tackling disadvantage.
Will Priestley,
Students’ Union President,
Trinity College Dublin
