This release is categorised as a CSO Frontier Series Output. Particular care must be taken when interpreting the statistics in this release as it may use new methods which are under development and/or data sources which may be incomplete, for example, new administrative data sources.
This chapter looks at the educational engagement of people experiencing at least one long-lasting condition or difficulty as indicated in Census 2022, from Leaving Certificate in 2022 through to further and higher education in 2023. Data from the State Examinations Commission (SEC) is used for Leaving Certificate students. Further and higher education data comes from the Higher Education Authority (HEA), SOLAS and QQI.
In 2022, of those that could be linked to Census 2022, a total of 57,875 people sat the Leaving Certificate and the Leaving Certificate Applied.
There were 2,735 candidates experiencing at least one long-lasting condition or difficulty to a great extent sitting a leaving certificate examination in 2022. Of these, 14% sat the Leaving Certificate Applied and 86% sat the Leaving Certificate.
In comparison, there were 9,935 candidates experiencing at least one long-lasting condition or difficulty to any extent sitting a leaving certificate examination in 2022. Of these, 9% sat the Leaving Certificate Applied, and 91% sat the Leaving Certificate.
The equivalent breakdown for the general population is, 95% sat the Leaving Certificate and 5% the Leaving Certificate Applied.
Looking at subjects in the Leaving Certificate, candidates experiencing at least one long-lasting condition or difficulty, to a great extent or to any extent, were less likely to sit higher level papers in the core exam subjects (English, Irish and Maths).
For English, 77% of candidates not experiencing at least one long-lasting condition or difficulty to a great extent took the higher level paper compared with 65% of those experiencing at least one long-lasting condition or difficulty to a great extent. The proportion of candidates not experiencing at least one long-lasting condition or difficulty to a great extent who took the higher level paper was 44% in Irish compared with 29% of those experiencing at least one long-lasting condition or difficulty to a great extent. For Maths, the proportions were 38% not experiencing at least one long-lasting condition or difficulty to a great extent compared with 23% of those experiencing at least one long-lasting condition or difficulty to a great extent.
Irish was taken by 70% of candidates experiencing at least one long-lasting condition or difficulty to a great extent compared with 88% of those not experiencing at least one long-lasting condition or difficulty to a great extent.
More than three quarters (79%) of students experiencing a long-lasting condition or difficulty to a great extent who sat the Leaving Certificate in 2022 transitioned to higher or further education in the following two years.
Just over three in five (62%) students not experiencing a long-lasting condition or difficulty to a great extent who sat the Leaving Certificate in 2022 transitioned to higher education over the following two years, compared with 50% of those experiencing a long-lasting condition or difficulty to a great extent.
More than half (58%) of students experiencing a long-lasting condition or difficulty to a great extent who sat the Leaving Certificate Applied in 2022 transitioned to higher or further education in the following two years. Of the students who sat the Leaving Certificate Applied, 44% of students not experiencing a long-lasting condition or difficulty to a great extent progressed to further education and training, compared with 56% of those experiencing a long-lasting condition or difficulty to a great extent.
A SUSI grant was applied for and awarded to 19,870 of the 42,355 new entrants to higher education in 2023. This grant can be awarded for fees, maintenance, or both fees and maintenance. It is means tested, so not all students are eligible.
Over four in ten (46%) of all new entrants to higher education received either a fee or a maintenance grant or both, compared to almost six in ten (58%) of those entrants experiencing long-lasting conditions or difficulties to a great extent.
The highest proportion of those experiencing long-lasting conditions or difficulties to a great extent who were awarded either a fee or a maintenance grant or both were those who have difficulty going outside the home (74%), while the lowest proportion was 53% for those with difficulty learning, remembering or concentrating.
The most popular three courses for all new entrants to higher education were Business, Administration & Law (19%), Arts & Humanities (16%), and Health & Welfare (15%).
For new entrants with a long-lasting condition or difficulty experienced to a great extent or to any extent, the most popular course was Arts & Humanities.
New entrants to higher education experiencing long-lasting conditions or difficulties to a great extent were slightly less likely to enrol in NFQ level 8 and 9 courses (85%) compared to those not experiencing long-lasting conditions or difficulties to a great extent (89%).
The top three course categories for student graduates in 2022 were Business, Administration & Law, Health & Welfare, and Education. These were the top three courses for graduates not experiencing long-lasting conditions or difficulties to a great extent or to any extent.
The top three courses for graduates experiencing long-lasting conditions or difficulties to a great extent or to any extent were Business, Administration & Law, Health & Welfare, and Arts & Humanities. These top three courses accounted for 56% of all graduates experiencing long-lasting conditions or difficulties to a great extent.
Graduates experiencing long-lasting conditions or difficulties to a great extent were slightly less likely to graduate from a NFQ level 9 (23%) than those not experiencing long-lasting conditions or difficulties to a great extent (27%), and slightly more likely to graduate from a course at NFQ level 8 or below.
Three in five (60.1%) further education students experiencing long-lasting conditions or difficulties to a great extent studied Generic Programmes & Qualifications in 2023. This was the highest course category across all long-lasting condition and difficulty types and was studied by 84% of those with an intellectual disability in 2023.
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