Higher Education Minister Commits to Addressing Traveller & Roma Education Disadvantage

Pavee Point commends the commitment of Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Simon Harris, TD to address the education disadvantages of Travellers and Roma as reiterated during a visit to our centre today.

Minister Harris visited Pavee Point today to listen to the experiences of Travellers and Roma who left school early and returned to Further and Higher Education. Travellers and Roma spoke of lack of supports in schools and experiences of discrimination that led them to leave formal education at an early age.

People also spoke of other barriers to accessing Further and Higher Education such as lack of SUSI grants for part-time education and the need for radical measures to help ensure the government achieves its targets in Traveller and Roma participation in Higher Education.

“Targets in Higher Education are important in order to generate interest, comment and involvement,” said Pavee Point Chairperson Anastasia Crickley “And even though targets are not currently being met it is important targets are retained.”

Pavee Point Co Director, Martin Collins said that it was important that these issues are also addressed at policy level within universities and colleges to ensure ongoing progress.