Allowance cut will deter postgraduates

THE Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) is a vital assistance scheme for students who have been on the dole or who are receiving social welfare payments and have decided to take the decision to enter third-level education.

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.