Sinn Fein Cllr. Fiona Kerins has voiced her anger at the fact that the grant applications of approximately 6,047 students in Cork are still being processed. Cllr. Kerins stated that the delays will undoubtedly be a source of hardship and stress for those affected and that it may lead to students being forced to drop-out of their courses.
“It is unacceptable that students are facing this level of uncertainty regarding funding two months into the academic year. Students are depending on these grants in order to ensure that they can afford their place in college and so that they can concentrate on their studies without the anxiety that this surely causing.”
Cllr. Kerins continued by criticising the new SUSI on-line system for the processing of student grants, saying:
“The new system is clearly failing. There are 52,430 grant applications still being processed nationally. The website needs to be improved and a proper tracking system has to be put in place. This would go a long way to alleviating the fear that these students are experiencing. The standard of communications regarding the status of applications is extremely poor. I can imagine that helpdesk staff are doing their best in very difficult circumstances. It is clear that the people in government either don’t realise or don’t care about the very real hardship that this is causing to students and their families today.”
“The new system was supposed to improve the processing system but it is cumbersome and inefficient. It is clearly not fit for purpose and has lead to the very real prospect of students dropping-out of their courses. Is this something you would expect of a government that touts the idea of a knowledge-economy so regularly? I suspect there wouldn’t be a problem if they approached the payment of student grants with the same expediency as they do when paying the bondholders.”
ENDS
For further comment please contact Cllr.Fiona Kerins on 0851091758
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