Ireland’s Minister for Education and Skills has announced changes in the fees arrangements for migrant students living in Ireland. In future, non-EEA nationals who acquire EEA citizenship during their college course will no longer be required to pay full tuition fees. Currently, the children of non-EEA migrants, legally resident in the State, generally have the same rights as the children of Irish parents to free primary and second-level education, however, these arrangements do not apply to higher education courses, where students have had to pay tuition fees often exceeding €10,000 per annum.
Breaking down barriers for migrant students to progress through the school system is one of the aims of the SIRIUS Policy network, of which MPG is the Communications Manager. The general quality of the school system is increased when migrant students have equal access to high-quality education and when they are not discriminated against, either in schools or in the system in general. This policy development is therefore a welcome initiative that will allow for a more equitable approach to students with a migrant background.
