Full-time third-level education for all is a luxury we can’t afford - Brian Mulligan, Irish Times

Could it be that sending our children to college is an extravagance? Something that would be nice to have, but we can’t really afford and do not really need? We are also told that it is in the interests of the economy that as many people as possible get a higher education; that, as a nation, we cannot afford not to send our children to college. Our distance learners seem to be able to cover material in less time than the full-time students and achieve better scores in examinations. How can this be so? Is it the teaching medium? Is it that they can replay difficult parts of lectures over and over again or post questions to their lecturers and classmates at any hour of the day or night? Perhaps, but I think it might be something else. Our distance learners seem to be very highly motivated. http://www.irishtimes.com/news/education/full-time-third-level-education-for-all-is-a-luxury-we-can-t-afford-1.2025807