Harris to seek €100m in Covid aid for colleges

THE new Higher Education Minister, Simon Harris, is seeking more than €100million to help colleges adapt to the ‘new normal’ after lockdown ends, including the provision of laptops to help students work remotely.

Colleges across the country will have to ensure two-metre social-distancing rules throughout their campuses. This requirement is leading to more blended and online learning and the potential for students to only be on campus one week in every four.

Minister Harris will seek the additional funds for the new scenario when Cabinet meets later this week. The funding will be used to help colleges reopen at the end of September. Part of the money will go towards providing mental health support and giving students free or rented laptops.

While some third-level institutions have previously made the teaching of large volumes of their courses available online, others have a lot of ground to make up.

Minister Harris will also bring public health advice to Cabinet to guide universities and colleges on how they can safely open.

He is also expecting to receive separate funding as part of the July stimulus package, which was due to be unveiled today.

However, that announcement has now been postponed as Taoiseach Micheál

Martin is at EU post-lockdown talks.

Colleges were already facing a financial crisis before the pandemic, and a shortage of international students, who pay hefty fees to attend Irish institutions, will make the situation even worse.

Some colleges have said that they will not be reducing their fees despite the move to a blended form of learning.

Undergraduate fees are €3,000 annually while postgraduate courses range from between €7,000 and €9,000.