Vol. 495 No. 6
70 Mr. Belton asked the Minister for Education and Science if he has satisfied himself that adequate systems have been put in place to monitor progress towards key targets set out in the national anti-poverty strategy in relation to education. [20785/98]
The overall target of the national anti-poverty strategy in relation to educational disadvantage is to reduce and eliminate early school leaving at second level and to eliminate literacy and numeracy problems in early primary education.
My Department has a range of strategies in place to help prevent early school leaving. These include the development of early start centres; the allocation of additional resources to schools in disadvantaged areas; the Breaking the Cycle initiative; the home school community liaison scheme; curricular reforms to allow students to make choices relevant to their abilities and aptitudes; support for junior and senior centres for travellers; the free book scheme, and alleviation of examination fees, for necessitous pupils. Strategies in place are subject to ongoing monitoring and evaluation.
The primary curriculum is designed to achieve adequate levels of literacy and numeracy among all pupils. Monitoring of progress towards this objective is achieved through national surveys of achievement and participation in international comparative studies. The latest national survey of reading in primary schools was carried out in 1998 by my Department's inspectors in co-operation with the Educational Research Centre. The findings of the 1998 survey are being processed at present. In addition, Irish primary school pupils have participated in national and international assessments of mathematics performance. As the Deputy will be aware, plans for the introduction of a revised primary curriculum are well advanced. Assessment is an integral part of this process.
