While third-level education offers a precious outlet for a small number of people in direct provision, as the case of Lesley Mkoko starkly illustrates, they are routinely expected to study under appalling conditions...
Fiona Hurley of Nasc, a refugee rights non-profit, explains that accessing any form of education is beyond the financial means of students living under direct provision.
“A student could end up being asked to pay €4,000 for a one-year PLC course, which is only FETAC level 5... Organisations like ourselves and the Irish Refugee Council try to do fundraisers, but that’s not a systemic solution. It can help a couple of individuals, but it won’t fix the issue of actually accessing education."
The full article is available at the Hotpress website here