Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 9 Oct 2001

Vol. 541 No. 4

Written Answers. - Evaluation of Projects.

David Stanton

Question:

453 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Education and Science the external agency which is to carry out an evaluation of the impact and effectiveness of all non-mainstream education projects on behalf of his Department; the projects that will be evaluated; the cost and timescale of the evaluation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22740/01]

Minister for Education and Science (Dr. Woods)

There is a range of programmes in place to address educational disadvantage at both primary and second levels. In relation to primary, earlier this year, I launched the new programme – Giving Children an Even Break – which will cost £26 million over a three year period. Other initiatives include the early start pilot project, Breaking the Cycle pilot project in primary schools, the home-school-community liaison scheme and the 8-15 early school leaver Initiative which cover both levels, the stay in school retention initiative at second level, and learning and support teacher projects. There is also a number of non-mainstream initiatives which are targeted at meeting the special needs of young people who have either become involved in minor delinquency or are at risk of becoming involved in delinquency and have become alienated from mainstream schools.

Each of the interventions outlined is monitored by my Department's inspectorate to ensure that they are addressing the needs of the educationally disadvantaged pupils being targeted and where modifications in programme content or mode of delivery are required, the necessary changes are made to incorporate these. Some of the initiatives have also been externally evaluated.

I am anxious that all programmes funded by my Department are subject to external review by independent experts in order to ascertain whether the programme objectives are being achieved and the needs of the target group are being catered for in an effective manner. For this reason, the new programme has a built in exter nal evaluation and review mechanism. I have also made arrangements to have all major initiatives in the area of educational disadvantage externally evaluated by independent experts. The Education Research Centre has been engaged to undertake the first of these reviews in relation to the home/school/community liaison scheme. It is expected that this review will be completed early next year. In this rolling programme of external reviews, it is planned that the following programmes will be evaluated: the early school leaver initiative for those between the ages of eight and 15 – phase II; the "stay-in-school" retention initiative; the fund for development of targeted educational responses to certain children at risk; the support teachers project; the new programme to tackle disadvantage at primary level; the early start pre-school project and special education projects, schemes and initiatives.

The ongoing work of my Department's inspectorate together with the programme of independent review will ensure that services for educationally disadvantaged children are provided in a co-ordinated and effective manner.