Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 31 Jan 2002

Vol. 547 No. 2

Written Answers. - Student Support Schemes.

Jim O'Keeffe

Question:

59 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Education and Science the reason the 90% target retention rate in second level schools has not been attained; and his new proposals to improve school attendance and retention levels. [2711/02]

Minister for Education and Science (Dr. Woods)

The Economic and Social Research Institute of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment in 1998 early school leavers survey indicates that approximately 81% of students currently complete second level education. This figure is broadly in line with my Department's analysis of data in this area which indicate a retention rate of some 83% when account is taken of factors such as mortality and movement to private schools. This figure does not take cognisance of those leavers who entered legitimate education and training programmes such as apprenticeships, Youthreach, senior Traveller training centre programmes or other further education opportunities on leaving the second level system.

While the achievement of a retention rate of 90% has been a long standing policy objective, it is important to stress that early school leaving is not a simple matter to resolve and that by their nature interventions require time to make an impact. It is for this reason that my Department has initiated a programme comprising both legislative measures and special targeted initiatives to combat the problem of non-school attendance and early school leaving.

School attendance is currently governed by the School Attendance Act, 1926. The recently enacted Education (Welfare) Act, 2000, will replace and reform current school attendance legislation. The Act provides for the establishment of a national educational welfare board and a nation-wide educational welfare service, with a view to ensuring that each child attends a recognised school or otherwise receives an adequate level of education. The Educational Welfare Board has been established on an interim basis and I have recently given approval for the recruitment of a chief executive officer. The service will be implemented on a phased basis, in line with a plan to be developed by the board. It is my intention that the new educational welfare service will, as soon as possible, cover the entire country.

I see the problem of early school leaving as requiring movement on a number of fronts and that is the approach that we are taking. In the first instance it is important that we offer curricular choice which meets the needs of the diversity of pupils in our second level schools. The junior certificate schools programme and the leaving certificate applied are two programmes which aim to achieve a greater level of inclusiveness in curricular provision. Other programmes involve the allocation of additional teacher posts and funding to primary and post primary schools serving pupils from disadvantaged families. The home/school/community scheme at both primary and post primary levels aims to build relationships between schools and families that will foster an appreciation of education and encourage greater participation in school.

In addition, my Department currently supports two initiatives aimed at increasing the retention of pupils in school, namely, the eight to 15 Early School Leaver Initiative and the Stay in School Retention Initiative at second level. Significant funding has been made available by this Government under the National Development Plan 2000-06 to address the problem of early school leaving.

I have provided a total of €22.5 million for these school completion initiatives in 2002. I expect that this will be sufficient to facilitate a significant expansion that will focus on areas with the greatest pupil retention difficulties as identified through my Department's post-primary pupil database. In this regard, proposals are currently under consideration in my Department and I expect to be in a position to make a further announcement in relation to this matter shortly.

An additional 2000 places were also provided in 1998 across FÁS and the vocational education committees on Youthreach/Traveller programmes for young people who have already left school, allied with guidance counselling, psychological and childcare supports. It is only by sustained action across a number of fronts – curricular, legislative and direct support – that we will make progress in relation to this intractable problem.