Time of Crisis Affords Unique Opportunity to develop Knowledge Economy – TUI

The Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) today demanded urgent government commitment to properly resource the education system to deal with the huge increase in the population seeking upskilling at present - a number that looks set to increase with the record number of people now unemployed.

The union, which represents over 14,000 teachers and lecturers at second and third level, set out a range of urgent recommendations in a policy document today, illustrating  how VECs and Institutes of Technology are ideally placed to meet this challenge. TUI has also called for access to Further and Higher Education courses to be improved and made simpler, and called the abolition of fees for part time courses as a matter of urgency.  

Speaking at the launch of the policy document, TUI General Secretary Peter MacMenamin called for an immediate lift of the cap on the number of students in Post Leaving Certificate (PLC) colleges.

“Unemployment figures are spiralling, with the total set to reach 400,000 by the end of the year. The various challenges posed by this predicament have been well documented elsewhere, but the situation also affords the government the chance to finally make a real commitment to the upskilling of the population.

It is imperative that the educational needs of people who are being made redundant and put on short time work are now prioritised.

The cap on the number of students in Post Leaving Certificate (PLC) colleges must immediately be lifted. This cap, imposed several years ago by the Department of Education and Science, is now seriously counterproductive towards a move to economic recovery. This sector is ideally placed to meet the commercial and industrial needs of the local community and to exhibit the flexibility necessary to provide for these potential students and to meet their needs. Courses can be tailor-made and adapted to maximise local employment potential of participants.

There must be a focus on the future in terms of investment in the education system at all levels if we are to embrace the concept of a modern knowledge or information based economy.

In the field of Higher Education, Institutes of Technology have also shown the necessary speed of response to previous skills shortages and are also well placed to address the necessary upskilling which is deemed necessary for economic recovery. The further cut announced at the end of December in the budgets for Institutes of Technology is particularly ill-conceived at this time.

Upskilling by way of further and adult education have never been more critical than now and in the coming years.

The government can no longer afford to ignore this potential. To do so would ultimately scupper the opportunity we now have to develop a knowledge– based economy. “

Mr MacMenamin also called for a review of eligibility criteria for Further and Higher Education courses and the expansion of part-time education at Further and Third Level.

“As it stands there are too many impediments for people wishing to enter Further or Higher education. The transition from work to study needs to be streamlined for the current economic climate. For example, a person must be over 21 and in receipt of social welfare payments for at least six months to be eligible for second chance education under some programmes. “

“For many, part-time education is the only option, especially for parents of young children who must combine learning with new childcare and other family responsibilities. Provisions to enable greater participation in part-time learning must be significantly improved.

“Fees for part-time courses can no longer be justified and must immediately be removed.”

The TUI welcomes the planned creation of 51,000 training/education places for the newly employed under the Framework for Stabilisation, Social, Solidarity and Economic Renewal announced by the Taoiseach on Tuesday as a small start.

The TUI believes that:

·          sustained and stronger investment is crucial to enable the necessary numbers to upgrade current qualifications and/or obtain new qualifications

·          expansion in the number of places must be paralleled by the removal of barriers to access and participation – a range of enabling measures must be agreed  

·          institutional systems must be agreed so that unnecessary duplication of provision avoided and maximises co-operation within and between the state agencies that have with core responsibility for the provision of education and training.     

The TUI has called for facilitation of the bulk of the 51,000 additional places announced by the Taoiseach to go to the education sector – specifically to VECs and IOTs.

·          VECs and Institutes of Technology have the ability and the proven track record in responding to the needs of employment in their local areas. 

·          They are located in every local community (VECs) and in the major towns and cities (Institutes of Technology) 

·          They have access to specialised expertise, facilities, equipment and support services

·          They have the ability to plan, develop and to modify courses in response to learner needs and Labour Market requirements at all levels from basic education to doctoral level (NQAI levels 1 to 10).

TUI is also calling for

·         An increase in the number of funded places to education providers

·         A review of eligibility criteria for further and higher education courses

·         Expansion of part-time education at Further and Third Level

·         A global grant for VECs and greater co-operation between State agencies