Vol. 508 No. 1
820 Mr. Haughey asked the Minister for Education and Science if he has reviewed the disadvantaged status scheme; the way in which St. John of God secondary school, Artane, Dublin 5, can be helped in view of on-going representations and the validity of its case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17541/99]
In designating schools as disadvantaged, regard was made to a range of criteria agreed between representatives of management, teacher unions, parents and my Department.
In the current school year, of the 762 schools at second level, 190 schools have been allocated disadvantaged posts and qualify for disadvantaged status on that basis.
A study of educational disadvantage conducted by the Combat Poverty Agency and the Education Research Centre in 1996 concluded that disadvantage status should be confined to 16 per cent of the school-going population. The study noted that such status had already been granted to 17 per cent of pupils. As an alternative to extending the disadvantaged area scheme to additional schools, the study recommended that available resources be targeted on the most disadvantaged schools.
The Deputy will be aware that I recently announced a £4.5 million initiative aimed at keeping pupils in school up to the end of the leaving certificate. Marking a significant departure from traditional policy, the funding will be granted to schools on the basis of plans which they will be helped to design themselves. At the core of the initiative will be a multi-annual written retention plan or agreement drawn up between the school and the Department. This will provide for a range of targeted measures directed at the particular needs of the school together with clear projected outcomes in terms of increased retention. A key requirement of the individual retention plans will be that the school, as the driver of the initiative, operates on a multi-agency basis and establishes appropriate cross community links in delivering on its commitments. Implementation of this initiative will commence shortly.
I am pleased to inform the Deputy that, following consideration of a request from the authorities of St. John of God secondary school, my Department approved the allocation of additional teaching resources to the school for the 1999/00 school year.
