Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 7 Feb 1995

Vol. 448 No. 6

Written Answers. - Early School Leaving.

Michael McDowell

Question:

49 Mr. M. McDowell asked the Minister for Education the steps, if any, her Department intends to take in order to reduce the incidence of early schoolleaving at both primary and secondary levels; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2604/95]

Minister for Education (Ms Bhreathnach)

My Department has a range of strategies currently in place to help prevent early school leaving and under-achievement.

At primary level these include early intervention measures which provide additional supports for young people at risk aimed at optimising their participation in and benefit from the education system. These include initiatives such as pre-schooling, remedial and home school community liaison services, co-ordination with other agencies, guidance and psychological services, and ancillary services and resources for schools in disadvantaged areas. A number of youth encounter projects are also provided for young people who have either become involved in minor delinquency or are at risk of doing so, and who have become alienated from the mainstream school system.

In keeping with its commitment to address the problems of truancy and early drop-out, the Government has appointed Minister of State, Deputy Currie, with special responsibility for this area. The Minister of State has established a task force to address the issues and has also established an inter-departmental committee, involving the Departments of Education, Health and Justice, to co-ordinate the actions of all three Departments in areas involving children with special needs, including the issue of truancy.

In order to reduce the incidence of early school leaving at post-primary level, a number of initiatives have been, and are being, put in place. These include: targeting of resources on disadvantaged areas; the provision of educational support services for pupils, for example, teaching posts to cater for career guidance, remedial service, disadvantage, handicapped pupils, visiting teachers for travellers; the continuing development of the home-school community liaison scheme; a major re-struc-turing of the second level curriculum to adapt it to the needs of a wider spread of ability levels and backgrounds; continuing financial support for special initiatives operated by a number of third level institutions which involve linkages with post-primary schools in order to provide greater opportunities for pupils from disadvantaged areas to proceed to third level; support for junior education centres for travellers; and the Youthreach programme.