Olwyn Enright
Question:130 Ms Enright asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of children who have completed primary level education in 2004; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20960/04]
View answerDáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 8 July 2004
130 Ms Enright asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of children who have completed primary level education in 2004; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20960/04]
View answerThe current annual primary census records enrolment at school level on a census date of 30 September in each school year. Data for the current school year are currently being finalised within my Department. Pending final confirmation of these data, the number of students enrolled in the final year of primary level education in 2003-04 was 54,530.
The current primary census also records the overall number of students that left primary-level education in the 12 months preceding each census date, but this information is not broken down by standard. Therefore, at present, it is not possible to determine the number of children who have completed primary-level education.
This is one of the main reasons my Department is developing an individualised primary database to replace the current census of primary schools. This new primary database will allow us to track the progress of students through primary education and to monitor the transition from primary to second-level education.
131 Ms Enright asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of children who are due to begin second level education in September 2004; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20961/04]
View answerThe post-primary pupil database records actual enrolments in each second-level school as of 30 September in each school year. My Department does not request information from schools on their expected numbers of new entrants in the future. However, the overall number of children expected to begin second-level education in September 2004 is 55,000.