New ways must be found to help more pupils to go on to thirdlevel from the Ballymun area, a new report has said. According to the evaluation of the Ballymun Initiative for Third Level Education (BITE) scholarship scheme at primary and post-primary level, "there are many areas for improvement and development."

The programme's reviewer, Scott Boldt, says a high level of success has been achieved to date. However, he recommends that funding for scholarships be increased in order to serve as a reward for scholarship-holders and to deter students from taking on part-time work.

"It is important that the conditions and procedures for the scholarships are clear and explicit," he adds. Scholarship holders, Boldt writes, could be given the option of serving their community or of helping other post-primary students with homework support or other social service activity.

Similar ideas could apply to third-level scholarship holders, whose contact with younger students was seen as key to the latter's success. "If possible, such contact might be a stipulation for a third-level scholarship."

The review looked at the primary and post-primary effects of BITE only. "A balance has to be found between consolidating and maintaining programmes and developing into new areas to assist more pupils," Boldt concluded.