Robin Swann, Ulster Unionist Party MLA and Chair of Stormont’s Employment and Learning Committee, has emphasised the importance of careful career and further education choices for students who have received their ‘A’ level results.
Mr. Swann said:
“This year, in light of the cuts to both further and higher education places due to the continuing debacle over the Executive’s budget, the choice facing local students is more difficult. Between Queens’ University and the Ulster University around 2,200 fewer undergraduate places will be available over the next 3 years. That makes it more important that students make the right choice now.
“There are still options open and this is not solely limited to University. In Northern Ireland we also have excellent further education colleges which offer a range of academic, vocational and leisure courses which are designed to suit many needs.
“In terms of the ‘A’ level results, I am pleased to see that STEM subjects are rising in popularity, particularly for females. On the other hand, whilst our ‘A’ level results are still better than England and Wales, the gap is not as pronounced as it was 5 years ago. It appears that years of meddling by successive Sinn Fein Education Ministers, openly hostile to academic excellence, is beginning to have an effect on our traditional competitive advantage in exam performance.”