Question:
4 Dr. Upton asked the Minister for Education and Science when he will establish the Education Welfare Board and name its members; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2838/01]
Priority Questions. - Education Welfare Board.
The Education (Welfare) Act provides for the establishment of a National Educational Welfare Board and a nationwide educational welfare service with a view to ensuring that each child attends a recognised school on a regular basis or otherwise receives an adequate level of education.
As an initial step in the implementation of the Act, I am establishing a designate board, on a non-statutory basis for an interim period, to draw up detailed plans for implementing the various functions to be assigned to the board under the Act. Following this interim period, the board will be put on a statutory footing and the various provisions of the Act will be commenced as appropriate. It is envisaged that membership of the designate board will mirror, as far as possible, that of the statutory board.
I am fully conscious of the importance of this legislation in tackling the problems of school absenteeism on a structured basis and I assure the Deputy that the early establishment of the board is a matter of priority for the Government. Nominations to the board have been received from the education partners and relevant Government Departments with whom consultation is required under the legislation and I hope to be in a position to establish the board very shortly.
Dr. Upton
The Minister said he would be in a position to establish the board very shortly. Will he indicate a timeframe for its establishment? This Act was passed last July. There is considerable concern among education welfare officers that there is no board in place. Why is it necessary to have an interim board? Why can a statutory board not be appointed immediately? Have all relevant parties been written to? Have they all made a nomination to the board and, if so, have they all been agreed by the Minister?
All but one has returned a nomination, so we are virtually at the finishing stage. That is the type of thing that happens in practice. There is a statutory requirement to write to the people involved inviting them to come forward and there is a period during which we must wait for that to happen. That has been done and with one exception, we are ready to proceed. I hope to be able to move on that very shortly. I cannot give the Deputy a definite establishment date, but I hope it will be only a matter of weeks at this stage.
Dr. Upton
Is there a statutory requirement that all parties and board members should be appointed and agreed? Could the board be put in place in the absence of the one outstanding member of whatever party? Is the Minister aware that current retention rate in secondary schools is in the order of 80% or, to put it another way, there is a 20% drop-out?
That has been the rate for a long time. That did not happen only last week. Various surveys reveal the drop-out rate is 19% or 20%. It is preferable to have everybody concerned involved from the start, otherwise the board will not start off on a good footing. Its membership will be completed shortly. Appointments to it involve boards of management and teachers. Other events taking place have not helped the acceleration of this matter. Much of the work involved has been done in the meantime.
Ideas to provide a preventative rather than a disciplinary approach are being implemented by many schools. I was at a school the other day where I saw children sign a contract with Packie Bonner to attend school up to the summer and having done that they will be given a prize – a case in point where there is very bad attendance record.
This is more "ad hocery”. Why does the Minister not do the job properly? He has statutory responsibility for this area.
For those children, it will mean the difference between going to school or not going, and that is what it is all about.
Dr. Upton
I am delighted to hear Packie Bonner might be having a very positive influence in school attendance rates. The idea behind setting up the Education Welfare Board was to ensure that the 20% drop-out rate would be reduced, hopefully, to zero. It is not good enough that six months later we are still waiting for that board to be appointed.
The board will not resolve that problem; many more matters need to be tackled to resolve it.
Dr. Upton
I know that.
It is one of the factors, hopefully, that will be helpful, but setting up a board will not be the answer to that problem. Many boards have come and gone over the past 30 years and that factor continues to be a problem.
Dr. Upton
Educational welfare officers cannot plan ahead.
The board will play an important part in following through to the community, and the parents and it will be in close contact with the children, but the schools, the parents and the other supports in place are also particularly important.