Minister for Education and Youth Helen McEntee, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science James Lawless and Minister for Children, Disability and Equality, Norma Foley have today announced the publication of the next edition of Education Indicators for Ireland 2024.
The report presents a comprehensive set of indicators for the education system in Ireland, including a snapshot of the system in the 2023/24.
For the first time, the 2024 Indicators report includes a dedicated chapter on education in early childhood as well as spanning primary and post-primary school levels, further and higher education and lifelong learning.
Key Further Education and Training and Higher Education indicators highlighted in the report include:
- the post-primary to higher education transition rate increased to 64.7% in 2023. At the same time, the gap between DEIS and non-DEIS schools narrowed by 2.7%, suggestive of improved equality of access to higher education
- over 78,000 learners were supported by grants in their full-time enrolment in higher education in 2023, up notably from just over 60,000 in the previous year
- in the first year of reporting, 45% of higher education learners surveyed who required accommodation resided in purpose-built student accommodation
- postgraduate research enrolments continued to increase in 2023, with increases in both full-time (+1.5%) and part-time (+7.2%) enrolments on PhD programmes
- the total number of registrations on courses for Near-Zero Energy Building/Retrofit skills had increased almost ten-fold from 455 in 2019 to close to 4,500 in 2023
- close to 15,000 learners (6.8%) in further education and training in 2023 reported having at least one disability
- in 2023 the apprenticeship population continued to increase, approaching 27,500, and to diversify, with almost 16% on consortia-led programmes
- total apprenticeship certifications rose to their highest value in the observed period, surpassing 4,500 in 2023
- the latest Adult Education Survey, conducted in 2022, revealed that 48.3% of adults had engaged in formal or non-formal learning in the previous 12 months, up 2.3% since the previous survey in 2017
Minister McEntee said:
“I am so pleased to welcome the publication of today’s Education Indicators report – the first of its kind to comprehensively cover education at all stages from early learning and care, through primary and post-primary education to further and higher education and lifelong learning. In presenting a snapshot of the entire education system as it is now, the report shares extensive insights which will be invaluable in helping to formulate future education policy.
“The report illustrates the great strides which have been made in education in recent years, while also highlighting the significance of areas where work is being prioritised to continue to improve the teaching and learning experience for our school communities. Numbers of teachers and SNAs continue to rise, while our pupil-teacher ratios and primary class sizes have decreased. It is heartening to see also that DEIS post-primary school retention rates have increased to 90% in 2023. I am committed to doing more to support our school communities and students to ensure that there is continued progress across the education sector.”
“The breadth of this report shows the wide and flexible array of learning opportunities available, and it is heartening to see evidence of a continued appetite for learning, whether it be in higher education, further education, or on an apprenticeship. We nevertheless have work before us to ensure that these opportunities to flourish are accessible for all.
"This represents a vital mission. Education, skills, and, critically, their interplay with the wider research and innovation system, will be essential to our tackling the most significant challenges that we face as a society.”
Education Indicators for Ireland 2024
Further Education and Training and Higher Education
- the post-primary to higher education transition rate increased to 64.7% in 2023. At the same time, the gap between DEIS and non-DEIS schools narrowed by 2.7%, suggestive of improved equality of access to higher education
- over 78,000 learners were supported by grants in their full-time enrolment in higher education in 2023, up notably from just over 60,000 in the previous year
- in the first year of reporting, 45% of higher education learners surveyed who required accommodation resided in purpose-built student accommodation
- postgraduate research enrolments continued to increase in 2023, with increases in both full-time (+1.5%) and part-time (+7.2%) enrolments on PhD programmes
- the total number of registrations on courses for Near-Zero Energy Building/Retrofit skills had increased almost ten-fold from 455 in 2019 to close to 4,500 in 2023
- close to 15,000 learners (6.8%) in further education and training in 2023 reported having at least one disability
- in 2023 the apprenticeship population continued to increase, approaching 27,500, and to diversify, with almost 16% on consortia-led programmes
- total apprenticeship certifications rose to their highest value in the observed period, surpassing 4,500 in 2023
- the latest Adult Education Survey, conducted in 2022, revealed that 48.3% of adults had engaged in formal or non-formal learning in the previous 12 months, up 2.3% since the previous survey in 2017
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