Mature students: an examination of DIT’s
policy and practice
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The points commission
In October 1997 the then minister for education and science, Micheál
Martin, set up a commission to examine the points system. Chaired
by Professor Áine Hyland, the commission was charged with
reviewing the points system ‘having regard to the necessity
of ensuring a transparent, impartial and efficient system for entry
to third-level institutions’ (Department
of Education, 2002).
The commission invited submissions, published a background document
as a basis for public consultative meetings, and commissioned research.
The final report dealt with many of the issues of concern, including
the impact of the system on second-level students, characteristics
of selection systems and the predictive validity of the system.
It also dealt in detail with mature students (Points
Commission, 1999). In particular it found that:
- Mature applicants do not typically have access to the types
of guidance and support available to school leavers in making
decisions about third-level. The commission endorsed an existing
recommendation that ‘a comprehensive guidance service for
adults be provided’ (Department
of Education, 1998). This is especially important where applicants
are unsuccessful and require feedback in order to improve their
chances in a subsequent application (Points
Commission 1999, pp. 104, 114–5).
- Provision for mature students varies greatly from institution
to institution, but that the ‘number of places reserved
for mature students in third-level institutions is quite limited
compared to other countries’, and went on to recommend that
‘by the year 2005, each institution should set aside a quota
of at least 15% of places for students entering at age 23 or above’
(ibid.,
pp. 109–10).
- There is a need to question, or at least to debate openly, ‘the
pervading culture in Ireland… that school leavers have an
automatic right to continue to third-level and that their rights
outweigh those of other groups” (ibid.,
p. 112). The commission felt that this emphasis on entry to
third-level directly from school based on a single terminal examination
increases the pressure on school-leavers: increased provision
for mature students would reduce this pressure even for today’s
leavers by holding out the prospect of a real alternative opportunity
later on (ibid.,
p. 113).
Mature students in third-level education in the
Republic of Ireland
The Higher Education Authority (HEA) defines a mature student
as being ‘at least 23 years of age on 1 January of the year
of entry or re-entry to an approved course’. There are additional
implications in terms of minimum entry requirements (which may be
waived), and also for grant aid – as mature students are no
longer assumed to be dependant on their parents (although they may
be reckoned to be), and may be assessed on their own income alone.
There is a ‘Back to Education Allowance’ available to
mature students on Social Welfare (HEA,
2003). The Central Applications Office deals with the applications
for most colleges, though some use a direct entry system (CAO,
2003a). In many ways mature applicants have never had so many
opportunities in the Irish third-level system. In recent years,
a decreasing number of school leavers has meant an increasing number
of available courses and places at third-level. This has been reflected
in a drop in the overall number of applications to the CAO The CAO
figures include mature and other non-standard applicants in the
case of most colleges, including the DIT. There has also been a
significant increase in the number of courses offered. This means
that, even with an increase in the number of mature applicants,
the overall number of applicants has actually fallen since 1998,
although it has remained quite steady in 2000–2002, as shown
in Table
1.
Anecdotal evidence would bear out that non-standard students are
often spoken of as filling the gaps left by declining numbers of
standard students, rather than as being entitled to those places
as of right. Some commentators claim that this interest in mature
and other non-standard applicants has more to do with colleges trying
to maintain numbers that in offering educational opportunities to
under-represented groups.
‘There has been a proliferation of access programmes and
initiatives (the cynical might say the declining population of school-leavers
makes these a more attractive option to colleges now) but the reality
is that these are insufficient to make a real difference in term
of numbers’ (Byrne,
2002).
In spite of these developments there is no evidence that there
has been a major improvement in successful participation by mature
students at third-level in Ireland. In 2000, only 3.9% of entrants
to degree courses, and 4.1% of entrants to diploma/certificate courses,
were aged 23 or over on 1January that year (CAO,
2000). The following year, 4.6% of entrants to degree courses,
and 4.8% of entrants to diploma/certificate courses, were aged 23
or over on 1 January 2001 (CAO,
2001). By 2002 this had changed to 6.0% of entrants to both
degree and diploma/certificate courses being 23 or over on the corresponding
1 January (CAO,
2002). This shows steady, if unspectacular, progress.
There is no room for complacency here, however. At this rate of
growth it could be 2010 or later before the 2005 target of 15% is
reached. In fact, one study has shown that Ireland falls far behind
other OECD countries in participation levels for mature students
in higher education (OECD,
2000). This study found that just over 2% of new entrants to
university in Ireland were aged over 26. On average, in the countries
surveyed, almost 20% of new entrants were aged 26 years or over.
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