Sir, – Sean Melly makes two key points in his opinion piece "The abolition of fees for third level was a regressive step" (Education, April 19th).
The first, that not every school-leaver should go to third level, is eminently sensible. Ireland desperately needs a much better system of technical education, a system which should start in secondary school. Our secondary schools are still dominated by the perceived needs of the university sector. Our apprenticeship system, although improving, is still relatively underdeveloped.
The second, that abolition of third-level fees was a regressive step, is simply uninformed. We already have third-level fees, and they are among the highest in Europe. The fact that we call them registration fees says more about our capacity for self-delusion than reality.
Third-level bodies are seeing higher dropout rates, and a greater call on student assistance funds, largely to pay these fees. There is talk, but so far only talk, of an income-based loans scheme. The costs of running this, and the low rate of return expected, suggest that this may not be viable here.
More generally, we are engaged in a huge social experiment of loading costs on to those setting up their own lives – unaffordable housing, uncontrolled rents, high unemployment, lower starting salaries, and now rising costs for higher education. What the consequences of this forced transfer of wealth – from younger, poorer people, to the older, richer people – may be are unclear. I doubt if they will be good.
In the interests of our own children, the siren call of Mr Melly, and those of other elements within the leadership of the university sector, should be ignored. – Yours, etc,
Prof ANTHONY STAINES,
Chair of Health Systems,
School of Nursing
and Human Sciences,
Dublin City University.
Sir, – Sean Melly argues that the abolition of fees for third level was a regressive step and suggests that fees are a necessary lever for universities to raise much-needed finances.
One might ask how do most of our European neighbours manage to offer students third-level education with no fees? Perhaps for the same reason that those same countries have excellent public health and other social services – they value them and have decided they are worth investment with public money.
While students paying for college fees might go some way toward solving the financial difficulties our third-level institutes find themselves in, we must ask is this the most appropriate approach.
Universities in Finland or Germany (where fees are zero) are admitting students from a more diverse range of backgrounds than those in the United States (where fees are far from zero).
Investment in education, at all levels, is in the public interest. All levels must be accessible to every citizen. This will cost money. It is worth it. – Yours, etc,
Dr SHANE BERGIN,
School of Physics,
Trinity College Dublin,
Dublin 2.