Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 12 Jun 2001

Vol. 537 No. 5

Written Answers. - Post-Leaving Certificate Courses.

Ruairí Quinn

Ceist:

125 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of students participating in post-leaving certificate courses for each of the past five years; the completion rates in each year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17138/01]

Minister for Education and Science (Dr. Woods)

The number of students who enrolled on post-leaving certificate courses in each of the past five years and their rate of completion is as follows:

Year	Enrolments	Completion rates
1996/97	18,712	77.5%
1997/98	21,263	76.2%
1998/99	23,810	81.9%
1999/2000	24,393	81.3%
2000/01	25,518	Not available yet

PLC courses offer integrated general education, vocational training and work experience for those who have completed senior cycle or equivalent. Of those who left the 1999-2000 programme early, 67.1% did so to take up employment, and 27.5% did so to progress to further or higher education or training.

Overall, the latest national survey of the destinations of all leavers of PLC courses indicates that all but 9.26% of participants progress to employment or further education-training.

Significant investment has been made in recent years in enhancing the quality and accessibility of these courses through the introduction of national assessment and certification under the national Council for Vocational Awards in 1994, the abolition of fees in 1995 and the introduction of a maintenance grant scheme for the first time in 1998. As part of the overall strategy to develop a range of alternative routes through which people can progress to higher education, a LINKS scheme has been introduced under which students with National Council for Vocational Awards Level 2 awards may progress from PLC courses to selected courses in institutes of technology.