People Before Profit Waterford welcomes the recent announcement by Minister Simon Harris, of the additional 14,000 places in Higher Education, as well as his earlier announcement of additional places in high demand courses. Flexibility has never been so needed for those trying to get better qualifications and to upskill. We have long advocated for more courses and broader availability to students from regions without Universities, and for those from disadvantage who cannot afford to participate.
However, an anomaly has occurred in the Further Education and Training sector, where many have little advocacy and never make it to Higher Level. Many courses in ETBs have reduced their numbers to allow for social distancing, but have created a double disadvantage where there should be social inclusion.
Spokesperson Una Dunphy says: “The reactions to Covid for Education have been varied. There is genuine concern regarding conditions in some schools, but the opening up of educational opportunities is something of a breakthrough, offering a more equal playing field, through remote learning, to students who could not have engaged prior to this. However, there is serious concern regarding students who have been trying to get on FET courses. Some courses have halved their intake, leaving many, not only without places, but also on a reduced welfare payment. These are early school leavers trying to get into Youthreach or those progressing onto level 5 training courses, as well as other Local Training Initiatives and ETB funded programs. These students/trainees now find themselves at a loss due to a huge reduction in numbers taken on these programs. This is generally a group who are in need of the top up payment to survive, now placed in a precarious position and in further disadvantage/poverty.”
It appears that there is no standard being applied here, but numbers across many courses have been cut, unlike those in PLC and Higher Education, where a staggering of classes keeps the same numbers. or remote learning allows for additional numbers. While FE has always been the poor cousin of HE, it plays an essential role for those with least in society attempting to improve their lot. The Youth Guarantee was to look after this group by encouraging them to take part, with a carrot and stick approach; the carrot is gone.