Tipperary students highlight unfairness of education system during visit to Leinster House

Two Tipperary students visited Leinster House recently to highlight the difficulties young people have in accessing education.

Lisa O’Connor, a student at Uruline School, Thurles, and Louis Ryan, a student at Rockwell College in Cashel, wrote to Tipperary TD Michael Lowry highlighting their concerns.

"Their letters highlighted educational disadvantages. Importantly, they also offered solutions. I was impressed that these bright young people were thinking of students who were not as privileged as themselves," said Deputy Lowry, who made  arrangements to have both students visit Leinster House.

"They made a wonderful presentation to  Minister for Higher Education, Simon Harris, who, on hearing what these students had to say, committed to immediately exploring actions that would ease access to training for all professions, including Medicine and Law," said Deputy Lowry.

The Thurles TD said that while in the corridors of Government, the students also attracted the listening ear of several other senior Ministers, who listened closely to what they had to say.

"Beyond doubt, both Lisa and Louis left a lasting impression on all those they spoke with," said Deputy Lowry.

Louis outlined to Minister Harris that he and Lisa were there to shine a spotlight on the inequalities of the Health Professions Admission Test, also known as the HPAT.

He said that they represented those who hadn't been given an opportunity to speak out about their experiences, or even the prospect of imagining them.

Louis told the Minister that, in a preferential world, the lamentable reality was that money always wins, or at least for the most part. .

"But you have the power to change that within our education system," he told Minister Harris.

Louis added that, it was also fair to say that the Government’s actions, and hence their decisions will, without doubt, affect the student demographic.

Louis went on to say that the HPAT was only accessible to the "upper-class in our society".

"Academically-able students from lower socio-economic backgrounds view medicine and university as alien to them and restricted to posh people," he said.

The €152.80 fee to sit the exam was too far-fetched, never mind the preparation courses worth €600 and MedEntry packs ranging from €345 to a towering €149, he pointed out.

"Can’t you see the depravity, the turpitude, the endless conundrums that this would cause for many students across the country?" Louis asked.

He pointed out that he was aware of a student who had taken the HPAT three times, securing a score in the 40th percentile in year one, 70th percentile in year two and the 50th in year three.

"This would suggest that the test in no way indicates suitability for medical but is more a game of chance," said Louis.

"As a matter of fact, the body responsible for issuing the test, ACER, claims that the exam does not test academic knowledge or require any understanding of any discipline. Someone who might not get through the HPAT this year might do it next year. Does that make them a better doctor in six years time?"  he said.

"Where do we draw the line?" asked Louis. "At what cost should our education be in order to achieve an equal playing field?"

He said that there was a myriad of solutions that the Government could adopt to ensure equal opportunity, such as further consideration being given to School Outreach Workshops, Mentoring Programmes and, most importantly, fostering links with disadvantaged schools and aspiring young students - our future doctors.

Lisa told Minister Harris: "Your actions, and the actions of the Government have serious consequences on us students, some of which benefit us, but many of which don’t. It is easy for yourself and your colleagues to make these decisions as you see fit, without taking into account the point of view of the students they are affecting and how profoundly they are affecting us."

She said that it was her belief that this was an issue of injustice and that the HPAT exam was biased against less-fortunate students.

"While I may not fall into this category, I feel it is my duty to seek justice for my peers and students across Ireland who have less opportunities than me. I was lucky enough to have all the resources such as MedEntry prep packages and former HPAT exams to better prepare myself to sit this exam, but this is not the case for many," Lisa pointed out.

These MedEntry packages, which range from €400-€1500, HPAT grinds, previous practice exams, and even the HPAT exam itself are well above many peoples’ income levels. In an ideal world, students would have full time to dedicate towards their studies and not to be burdened with the financial pressure of having to provide an income to support their household, but this is not an ideal world, it is the reality that many must face, she said.

"How can you assume students all across Ireland are on an equal playing field, when it is far from fair? I believe medicine is a truly exclusive and elitist career prospect, only accessible to those who come from a prosperous background, and whose parents are able to pay for such expenses. Many students have not received opportunities in this regard and these doors are shut to them no matter how much hard work they put in’ she stated.

Lisa and Louis thanked Minister Harris for listening to their thoughts on the HPAT, saying that he hopes that it sparks some action within the Government to make headway in the development of our education system.

They also thanked Deputy Lowry for facilitating and organising the meeting.