Applications for places on the Higher Diploma in Education course at four third-level colleges in the State fell this year for the first time in several years. The drop is being attributed to the wide range of options available to graduates. Prof John Coolahan, chairman of the Higher Diploma in Education Applications Centre, said it was too early to speculate on whether this was a new trend or a "temporary blip". Prof Coolahan confirmed there had been 2,400 applicants under the central applications system last year and this year the numbers had fallen below 2,000. An estimated 800 places were on offer.
"It is still a very healthy situation in terms of competition for entry. We are very happy with the quality of applicants and we are also pleased that there is a good mix of mature candidates applying," he added.
However, Prof Coolahan, who is professor of education at Maynooth College, described as extraordinary the announcement by the Minister for Education earlier this month that 800 new posts would be created in post-primary schools next September.
It came "out of the blue", he said, just days after applications closed for places on next year's Higher Diploma in Education course under the central applications system.
Until last year, candidates see king to do the H.Dip in any one of five colleges in the State applied directly to the colleges. In 1998, the four constituent universities of the National University of Ireland agreed to have a central applications procedure similar to the CAO system.
Students now complete just one application form to apply to do the H.Dip at University College Cork, University College Dublin, the National University of Ireland Galway or the National University of Ireland Maynooth.