The Department of Education provides students in PLC courses with no
valid reasons as to why they are not entitled to grants if they pursue
university affiliated degrees.

According to Keith McMullan, press officer for the Department of
Education, “Candidates are ineligible for grant assistance if they
already hold a FETAC Level Five qualification.”

McMullan failed, however, to explain the reasons behind the
department’s ironic decision, whereby students must first possess a
FETAC Level Five qualification in order to gain entry to a university
degree.

He did maintain that there are changes pending in relation to the
grants system: “There are plans to consolidate the grants system in the
VEC to facilitate consistency for grant application, to improve client
accessibility and timeliness of grant delivery.”

But questions have been raised as to whether this long-winded jargon is
merely a thin veil to distract people from the absurdity of this rule.

Post Leaving Certificate Courses have been described by many as the
proverbial academic back door for those who didn’t excel in their
school years.

For this reason these courses consist of people from all ages and
socio-economic backgrounds. This is why the allocation of grants is so
important to those who wish to take advantage of the opportunities
provided.

- Tom Rooney | Pic: Shauneen Armstrong