Precious resources
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Thursday November 26 2009
AS the rains continue to wreak havoc across the country we are acutely aware of the need to put defences in place to protect that which we hold precious. Paradoxically, we appear prepared to allow our most valuable resource -- our young -- to be lost.
Once more, academics are speaking about a brain drain, as 18,000 Irish students have opted to go overseas to get a third-level education. The concern, and it is a real one, is that they may not return. If the much-vaunted "smart economy" in which our Government invests so much confidence is ever going to deliver for us, then we can scarcely allow the loss of our brightest to continue. Today's figures reveal a 43pc increase in applicants from Ireland for courses like medicine and dentistry in Britain.
To stem the flow we must examine why overseas universities are more attractive and identify what advantages they are perceived to have. It is quite evident that our own educational infrastructure has been neglected and this must be addressed.
It is also apparent that the decision to introduce the HPAT system, whereby an aptitude test is used to select candidates for medicine, has also excluded some of the students who achieved maximum points.
They can hardly be faulted for wishing to pursue their ambitions overseas.
There are obviously a number of issues to be examined, but one point stands out -- that is, if this country is to look towards a brighter future we must offer our young something more than the boat to England.
