Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 10 Jun 2003

Vol. 568 No. 1

Written Answers. - Early School Leavers.

Michael D. Higgins

Question:

124 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of pupils who leave the education system who do not transfer from primary to second level; the steps being taken to ensure that they are retained in the education system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15730/03]

Finian McGrath

Question:

393 Mr. F. McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Science the plans he has to deal with the dropping out of up to 1,000 pupils annually at transition to second level; and if he will target resources to the most needy pupils. [15953/03]

Minister for Education and Science (Mr. N. Dempsey)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 124 and 393 together.

The 2002 NESF report on early school leaving estimated that approximately 1,000 children do not transfer from primary to post-primary on an annual basis. It is my intention to put in place a primary pupil database which will facilitate the collation of comprehensive data on transfer rates in the future.

My Department operates a number of programmes at primary level that are designed to tackle the problem of early school leaving. The Giving Children an Even Break programme provides additional financial and teaching supports for children from disadvantaged backgrounds who are most at risk of early school leaving. Expenditure on this programme in 2003 will be in excess of €17 million. A key role in this regard is also played by the home school community liaison scheme, which has been extended to each of the 314 designated disadvantaged primary schools in the country. This scheme helps parents to develop their skills as the primary educators of their children and also operates transfer programmes to help primary school pupils to make the transition to post primary level. Expenditure on this scheme will be in the region of €7 million in 2003.

The main programme within my Department for tackling the issue of early school leaving is the school completion programme, which was launched in 2002. The school completion programme incorporates the learning, experience and best practice derived from previous early school leaving initiatives and assimilates the eight to 15 early school leaver initiative, ESLI, and the stay-in-school retention initiative at second level, SSRI. The programme is based on an integrated cross-community approach to tackling educational disadvantage, involving primary and post-primary schools, parents, communities and relevant statutory and voluntary agencies. Its objective is to provide a range of interventions in areas of disadvantage that support the retention of young people in education.

Eligible schools were selected on the basis of their pupil retention rates from my Department's post-primary pupil database. Schools are grouped into 82 clusters of one or more second-level schools and their main feeder primary schools. Each cluster has established a committee composed of principals, voluntary and statutory agencies including county development boards, local drug task forces, area partnerships, the local programme co-ordinator, parents, community interests etc. This committee is responsible for developing and overseeing implementation of a fully costed, integrated plan to tackle early school leaving in the area, including specific retention targets.

Retention plans have been submitted to my Department by all clusters and have been approved. Average funding per cluster is approximately €195,000 in 2003. At present, 400 schools have been included in the school completion programme, 288 primary and 112 post-primary, which is supported by a national co-ordinator and four assistant co-ordinators.

The Educational Welfare Board, which was established under the Education (Welfare) Act 2000, is the single national agency with responsibility for school attendance. The Act requires schools to draw up school attendance strategies in order to promote regular attendance and tackle the problems of absenteeism and early school leaving. The strategies 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 appointed an interim chief executive officer in August 2002 and directors of corporate services and educational services and a number of other head office staff have recently taken up their posts. On 5 July 2003, 37 former school attendance officers who were employed by local authorities under the previous legislation were transferred to the board in accordance with Section 40 of the Act. These staff are currently providing a service in the cities of Dublin, Cork and Waterford. Of the 37, 25 have recently accepted the terms and conditions of employment of EWO and will henceforth be carrying out the full range of EWO duties and providing a year round service rather than the school-term based service they were providing as former school attendance officers. My Department has recently received sanction from the Department of Finance for the recruitment of an additional 36 staff by the board, including regional managers, senior educational welfare officers and educational welfare officers.

I have allocated a budget of €5.4 million to the board for the current year and it is my intention that the board's proposals will be taken forward in the context of these resources and budgetary allocations in future years.