CAPITATION:THE TUI has called on Minister Mary Coughlan to lift the "artificial cap" on Post Leaving Certificate places which saw thousands of school-leavers and unemployed people turned away from training last year.
Over 60,000 people applied for 30,000 PLC places in 2009.
Some colleges of further education have taken on extra students without capitation to cater for local demand.
Speaking in Ennis yesterday, TUI president Don Ryan urged the department to deal quickly with the issue as a matter of economic necessity.
“All economic commentators agree that the nation requires a highly skilled and well-educated workforce to meet the challenges of new opportunities as soon as any indicators of economic recovery appear,” said Mr Ryan.
PLC programmes provide students with specific vocational skills which enhance their prospects of securing employment or progressing on to further studies, Ryan said.
“However, the limit on student numbers in the sector has stifled growth.”
The TUI cited the example of Ballyfermot College which recently celebrated the Oscar success of former animation student Richard Baneham. Over 6,000 students applied for just 1,300 first year places in Ballyfermot College last year.
“It is an indictment of the short-sightedness of our education policymakers that colleges such as Ballyfermot remain severely restricted by a capping on student numbers,” said Mr Ryan.
“PLC courses are a very cost-effective way of up-skilling the population and restrictions on places make no economic, social or educational sense. In economic terms, the cost of the extra resources necessary to take on new students would be greatly offset by savings otherwise payable in the form of jobseeker’s allowance.”
TUI deputy general secretary Annette Dolan said she hoped Ms Coughlan would bring her insights from the Department of Enterprise to bear on the further education sector.
“The Tánaiste brings an excellent skill set to her new role as Minister of Education and Skills,” she said.
