Vol. 405 No. 6
199 Tomás Mac Giolla asked the Minister for Education whether her Department keeps statistics on the retention rate to leaving certificate of second level students; if so, the current retention rate; whether there are variations in retention rate between particular schools or regions; and her plans for improving the retention rate where it is comparatively low.
It is estimated that for the 1989-90 academic year, 71.6 per cent of pupils from the relevant cohort, ie, post-primary pupils enrolled in 1st year junior cycle in 1985-86, were retained up to the final year of the leaving certificate course. I must point out, of course, that it should not be assumed that the remainder of the cohort left school either during or at the conclusion of junior cycle. It is estimated in fact that a further 11.5 per cent of the cohort specified transferred to vocational training type courses after junior cycle. One of the main objectives of my Department in sanctioning vocational training courses is to cater for those pupils whose particular talents and aptitudes mean that they will derive greater benefit from the skills-based nature of such courses as opposed to the more academic thrust of the leaving certificate course.
I have already outlined in the House the educational proposals contained in the Programme for Economic and Social Progress; several of which are aimed at increasing retention rates of students in full-time education.
Comparative data on the retention rate as between particular schools or regions are not readily available.
