Vol. 497 No. 6
86 Mr. Enright asked the Minister for Education and Science if he has satisfied himself that adequate systems have been put in place to monitor progress towards key targets set out in the national anti-poverty strategy in relation to education. [25893/98]
The national anti-poverty strategy, NAPS, identified a number of areas within the education sector where action is required to reduce and eliminate poverty. These include, for example, the need to remove barriers to educational participation and the provision, in the context of a continuum of supports from early childhood through to adulthood, for adults to re-enter the system at a variety of levels. Educational policy in this regard is focussed on two key principles, viz the need for a wide variety of interventions at school level and the provision of second chance education opportunities for those who have left school early. The school-based initiatives include the Early Start programme, Breaking the Cycle, home school liaison, a schools psychological service, the provision of remedial, resource and guidance teachers together with a variety of curricular reforms to allow students to make choices relevant to their abilities and aptitudes.
Second chance education and training is provided through a range for programmes such as Youthreach, the vocational training opportunities scheme and a range of adult and community education measures. I am satisfied that the various measures in place will help greatly to increase participation in education thereby helping to meet the objectives of the national anti-poverty strategy.
