Labour 's still trying to buy votes with education
I admit that I'm probably 1 of about 3 students in Ireland who want free fees abolished. They are possibly the greatest burden on achieving educational excellence in this country.
Labour are now calling for "action on educational disadvantage".
The problems with third level education - lack of participation from those in low income areas as well as deficits in funding for more research, staff and better resources stem in many ways to Labour's cynical attempt to buy off middle class voters with free fees.
If Labour are serious about making the privilege of third level education a realistic aspiration for those in low income areas they need to start providing alternatives to achieving better primary education, school finishing programmes, etc. None of these can currently be dealt with satisfactorily due to the millions of taxpayers’ money siphoned off to pay for college education of thousands of students who can well afford it, and would go to university with or without free fees.
Fianna Fail and Noel Dempsey got all wobbly about the knees when faced with the terrifying prospects of a militant USI who did all kind of exciting things like marches carrying coffins to the Dail and backed off. Maybe Fine Gael could show some oppositional backbone and come with some creative proposals to halt the deterioration of the Irish educational system. But I doubt it.
Labour are now calling for "action on educational disadvantage".
The problems with third level education - lack of participation from those in low income areas as well as deficits in funding for more research, staff and better resources stem in many ways to Labour's cynical attempt to buy off middle class voters with free fees.
If Labour are serious about making the privilege of third level education a realistic aspiration for those in low income areas they need to start providing alternatives to achieving better primary education, school finishing programmes, etc. None of these can currently be dealt with satisfactorily due to the millions of taxpayers’ money siphoned off to pay for college education of thousands of students who can well afford it, and would go to university with or without free fees.
Fianna Fail and Noel Dempsey got all wobbly about the knees when faced with the terrifying prospects of a militant USI who did all kind of exciting things like marches carrying coffins to the Dail and backed off. Maybe Fine Gael could show some oppositional backbone and come with some creative proposals to halt the deterioration of the Irish educational system. But I doubt it.
posted by Auds | 13:21
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