Written answers
Tuesday, 23 April 2024
Department of Education and Skills
Third Level Education
Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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702. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he is aware of the closure of a college (details supplied) and the impact it is having on students and their families; and if he will engage with students on the Bachelor of Education in Montessori (early years) Education course to find alternative options to complete their degrees. [17581/24]
Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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My Department has been made aware that the college referred to by the Deputy will close and cease to deliver degree level programmes accredited by Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) with effect from September 2024.
In preparation for the forthcoming closure the college has engaged with QQI’s statutory Protection of Enrolled Learners (PEL) process. The PEL process ensures that learners can complete their programme with another QQI accredited provider if it is no longer offered by their existing provider.
QQI has informed my Department that all impacted learners, including those on the Bachelor of Education in Montessori Education programme, wishing to continue their studies will be facilitated to transfer into similar degree programmes offered by alternative providers leading to awards at the same level of the National Framework of Qualifications from September 2024. The alternative providers will provide all necessary supports to the learners as they make the transfer.
The college held a meeting on Tuesday 9 April 2024 to communicate further information about these transfer arrangements to the learners.
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