A comprehensive review of the present system of tuition fees and loans for students in Northern Ireland has been announced.

Minister for Higher and Further Education, Training and Employment, Dr Sean Farren outlined the details in Belfast on Thursday.

However, with moves afoot to re-introduce direct rule to the province, he could be out of a job by Friday.

Dr Farren said: "I made it very clear on my first day in office that one of the key tasks facing me and my department was to promote wider access to higher and further education, especially for those people who were previously excluded.

"A review of student support arrangements is a central part of that task."

He said the review would cover students in further and higher education.

It will look at tuition fees, loans, allowances, discretionary awards, universities' access funds and other financial support currently available.

The review will be carried out by officials from Dr Farren's department and will involve an extensive consultation process to give organisations, institutions and individuals with an interest in further and higher education, the opportunity to put forward their views.

A consultation document will then be published in early March with the aim of the minister bringing forward new proposals for consideration in the summer.

In 1998/99 there were 37,311 full-time under-graduate students from Northern Ireland enrolled on higher education courses in the UK and Republic of Ireland.

There were also 20,596 full-time students on further education courses in Northern Ireland.

The minister said he will consider the benefits, as well as the disadvantages of the present system.

He also confirmed that account would be taken of the recent support packages announced for students in Scotland, England and Wales.

Thorough review

Dr Farren added: "I do not intend to predict the outcomes of this review or even speculate on what options might emerge.

"What we need is a thorough review leading to a set of costed proposals for change that will promote wider access to higher and further education.

"Then it will be up to me as minister to argue in government and in the assembly for support, including financial resources, for their implementation."