"Social Care Regulator and Dublin Business School Must Engage Properly With Stranded Students" - Tóibín
The Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín TD has called on the social care regulator CORU and the Dublin Business School to include student representatives in talks to reach a solution after the students learned that the course they've been studying will not qualify them as registered social workers.
Speaking today, Deputy Tóibín said: "I've spoken to one of the more than 75 students effected by this issue. Naturally they are devastated. They've spent over ten thousand euro in some cases, and they've missed the opportunity to reapply through the CAO process for a different course. I understand that one person involved in this scandal has resigned from his position. For the most part the students have been left completely in the dark and this is completely unacceptable - they deserve full transparency and disclosure"
Deputy Tóibín continued: "I understand that the college held an online meeting on Thursday but that many students felt their questions were going unanswered. Students have not been given clarity as to why CORU have not approved the DBS course's application. So as it stands even if these students complete the course they will not be qualified to work in social care. The consensus among the students seems to be that they won't return to DBS if their degree isn't worth anything".
"Some of the students concerned are mature students, who've made the jump and gone back to education later in life, at an enormous personal and economic cost to themselves - I cannot even begin to imagine how they must feel - three years and 11,000 euro later to learn that their degree will be worthless. Other students in this course have completed some 800 hours of placement. Minister Harris' public comments on this are very welcome, however he does not have control over Dublin Business School or CORU. We need better accountability in third level education - otherwise there is no point in having a Minister for Higher Education. Aontú are calling on the Minister to convene a meeting between CORU, DBS and the students themselves, to discuss the options from here, including compensation AND free enrolment in another accredited course if needs be", concluded Deputy Tóibín.
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