Enda Kenny
Question:198 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Science the numbers of second level schoolchildren who fail to complete the leaving certificate examination; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17892/02]
Adjournment Debate. - Early School Leavers.
The 1999 Annual School Leavers Survey of 1997-98, published by the Economic and Social Research Institute, has indicated that retention rates up to leaving certificate have levelled off at around 82%.
However, my Department is currently in the process of finalising a comprehensive report in relation to retention rates in post-primary schools. The report will deal specifically with pupils who commenced year one of the junior cycle as part of their full-time education and were enrolled in post-primary schools on 30 September 1994. It is my intention to publish the report when complete and I hope to be in a position to publish it in the next five to six weeks.
Enda Kenny
Question:199 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of children who do not attend full-time education beyond primary level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17893/02]
My Department does not have a comprehensive database on pupils in the primary school sector and unfortunately, therefore, the information sought by the Deputy is not readily available. However, the 2002 NESF report on early school leaving estimated that approximately 1,000 children are in this category.
As the Deputy will be aware, this is a complex and difficult issue and one not amenable to quick fix or easy solutions. It is only by sustained action across a number of fronts – curricular, legislative and direct support – that progress can be made in relation to increasing the rate of retention at all levels of education.
Since 1997 a range of programmes have been enhanced or initiated by my Department to address educational disadvantage at primary level and to improve opportunities for children likely to be at risk of early school leaving. Among these, the home-school-community liaison scheme is a preventative strategy that is targeted at pupils who are at risk of not reaching their potential in the educational system because of background characteristics which tend to affect adversely pupil attainment and school retention.
The school completion programme, which subsumed the eight to 15 early school leaver initiative and the Stay in School retention initiative, aims to have a significant positive impact on levels of pupils retention in primary and second level schools and on numbers of pupils who successfully complete the senior cycle. The school completion programme is a key component of the Department's strategy to discriminate positively in favour of children and young people who are at risk of or who are experiencing educational disadvantage. The programme is funded on a multi-annual basis under the National Development Plan, NDP, with assistance from the European Social Fund or ESF.
The Education (Welfare) Act, 2000, which came into effect on 5 July 2002, provides for the introduction of a comprehensive school attendance service, with responsibility for school attendance being given to a newly established body – the National Educational Welfare Board. An educational welfare officer will be assigned to every school for the purposes of the Act. The Act requires schools to draw up school attendance strategies in order to promote regular attendance and to foster an appreciation of learning among students. The strategy will focus on arrangements for the identification of children who are at risk of dropping out of school at an early stage so that appropriate interventions may be put in place. The board will also assist schools in discharging their responsibilities under the Act.
The National Educational Psychological Service Agency, or NEPS, which was established on 1 September 1999 and is an executive agency of my Department, has delegated authority to develop and provide an educational psychological service to all students in primary and post-primary schools and in certain other centres supported by the Department. I assure the Deputy of the continued commitment of the Government to address the problem of early school leaving.