Madam, - Sean Flynn's report of the ESRI study on access to third-level education contains very good news (The Irish Times, June 1st). In 1980, only 20 per cent of school-leavers went on to third level. Now the figure is 55 per cent. Almost 50 per cent of children of semi-skilled or unskilled manual workers now go on to third level, compared with only 23 per cent five years ago.
I am puzzled, though, as to why Sean Flynn casts a rather cold eye on these figures, pointing out that our current overall participation rate of 55 per cent is "much lower than the rate in countries like Finland and Japan, where it can reach 65 per cent". The fact is that Ireland has a higher participation rate at third level than the UK, and 55 per cent is not "much lower" than 65 per cent.
Even though third-level participation by children of semi-skilled or unskilled manual workers has risen so dramatically in five years, Mr Flynn compares this performance negatively with the participation rate of 89 per cent by children of higher professional groups and farmers. But, if participation rates of school-leavers from the poorer socio-economic groups keep improving at the current rate, they may well close the gap in another five years.
We should celebrate the results of this ESRI survey and not cavil because we have not reached an ideal of perfection where every school leaver, regardless of background, is equally likely to go on to third level. This ideal will probably never be reached.
Studies of third-level participation patterns in the east European satellites of the former Soviet Union demonstrate the complexity of the access situation. In these "classless" countries, participation rates in higher education were much higher among children of the political élite than among other groups. So, unevenness in participation can occur regardless of economics or politics. All we can do is to lessen gaps between groups to an irreducible minimum - and we are making creditable strides in that direction in Ireland. - Yours, etc.,
WILLIAM J. REVILLE, Biochemistry Department, University College Cork.