Former Protestant enrolment was ‘absolutely appalling’

He made the comments whilst successfully introducing a Private Members motion concerning the disparity in Protestant students attending universities in Northern Ireland.

He called on University Minister Dr Stephen Farry to explore why this was the case and to bring forward a strategy to address the issue.

The East Londonderry MLA also told the Assembly “a situation with army cadet stands in Magee” had been reported to him and that “once people get an impression that there is a cold house for a particular outlook...others may well take the decision that that may not be the place for them, particularly if they or their family are in the cadets.”

Mr Campbell said he was concerned about “possible chill factors” discouraging Protestants from attending Northern Ireland universities.

“For example, I have had reports in the past - thankfully, they are less prevalent now - of problems in freshers’ weeks in Northern Ireland universities.

“For example, a situation with army cadet stands in Magee was reported to me, and, of course, once people get an impression that there is a cold house for a particular outlook, and once that spreads amongst seventeen and eighteen-year-olds, others may well take the decision that that may not be the place for them, particularly if they or their family are in the cadets.

“Fortunately, that has dissipated to some degree.

“The figures are stark, and a series of questions has been tabled regarding the numbers that lie at the root of this debate and the previous one,” said Mr Campbell.

The East Londonderry MLA referred to improvements in some quarters but mentioned that six or seven years ago “an abysmal 10 per cent of its (Magee’s) students were Protestant.”

“That was absolutely appalling; there was no justification for it.

“When you take the travel-to-work area, not just the Londonderry area but a 15-to-20 mile radius around the college, you would expect it to be about 30 per cent, so it was one third of what it should have been,” he stated.

“Some good work has been done, and the figure is now about 15 per cent. That is an improvement, but it is still half of what it should be.

“That is not to be ultra-critical. I want to be supportive, and I have made that very clear to senior people in Magee College. This is not exclusive to Magee.

“We see in the campuses of the University of Ulster and at Queen’s University that there is under-representation of Protestants in the numbers of students applying,” he commented.

Mr Campbell was supported by - amongst others - Magee graduate, UUP Mid Ulster MLA Sandra Overend.

She said there was a serious problem attracting young people from the Protestant faith to local universities.

“Having attended the University of Ulster at Magee College in Londonderry, where only one fifth of students came from a Protestant background,

“I believe passionately, as does my party, that religion should not be a factor in deciding where to attend university.

“I accept that those attending Magee College may feel happy while they are there, but I am concerned about why so many choose not to attend there.

“Unfortunately, that is the case, and it is an issue that most definitely needs additional attention to rectify.

“Therefore, I support Mr Campbell’s call for the Department for Employment and Learning to explore the reasons behind the disparity in the community backgrounds of Northern Ireland students,” she stated.

It was resolved: “That this Assembly notes with concern the disparity in the number of students from a Protestant background attending universities in Northern Ireland; and calls on the Minister for Employment and Learning to explore why this is the case and to bring forward a strategy to address the issue.”