Reopening education

Sir, – As Ireland struggles to find ways to reopen schools and universities, the focus has been on how social distancing lengths of one or two metres are the rate-limiting factor. While these are key determining factors, they are not the only ones. The chronic underfunding of all education levels in Ireland must also be taken into consideration. As we look to other countries in the EU, wondering “how are they able to manage?” we might consider the funding education receives in those societies.

Education tends not to feature as an issue in Irish elections. Perhaps it ought to. – Yours, etc,

Dr SHANE BERGIN,

School of Education,

University College Dublin,

Dublin 4.

Sir, – University staff should be commended on their ability to use remote teaching resources but these methods are no substitute for the university education our high annual fees and outrageous rent promised. We hope to return to college campus as soon as it is safe and manageable to do so. Until this is possible, what do I do? Continue to pay my €450 (and upwards) monthly rent, even though I cannot live in the accommodation? Continue to feel as if I am wasting my days? Continue to fall through the cracks for any social welfare benefit because I resigned my job to focus on college? Continue to question the value, necessity, and quality of the third-level education that many of us naively trusted was the only sensible option after school? – Yours, etc,

MUIREANN GRIFFIN,

Tullamore,

Co Offaly.