asked the Minister for Education if he will state (a) the number of children on the rolls in primary schools who were aged 14 years or over on 31st March, 1948, and (b) the approximate number of such children who subsequently attended vocational schools and secondary schools.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Primary School Pupils.
The number of children aged 14 years or over on the rolls in primary schools on the 30th June, 1947, was 12,955. There is no information readily available in my Department which would indicate the number of such children (a) who remained in the national schools or (b) subsequently attended vocational and secondary schools in the ensuing school year. For the information of the Deputy, however, I may state that the number of pupils enrolled in secondary schools for the first time during the school year 1946/47 was 13,355 of whom 3,370 were aged 14 years or over, and the total number in the under 16 years age group enrolled in vocational schools during that school year was 20,133: of these 10,313 were attending whole-time day courses. From these figures it is estimated that of the 12,955 pupils of 14 years of age or over enrolled in primary schools on the 30th June, 1947, 3,300 approximately were enrolled in secondary schools in the following year, and approximately 5,000 were attending whole-time day courses in vocational schools.