Vol. 577 No. 3
70 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Education and Science the steps being taken to counter the drop-out rate, either in terms of those who do not transfer from primary to second level, or those who leave the system before completing junior or leaving certificate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30926/03]
The latest information, published in the NESF report 2002, on early school leaving estimated that between 700 and 1,000 young people do not transfer from primary to second level. My Department is completing analysis work for the development of a primary pupil database which will facilitate the collation of comprehensive data on transfer rates from primary to post-primary level in the future. The most recently published analysis by my Department of retention rates at second level was released in August of this year. The report indicates that of those who commenced the junior cycle programme in September 1994 approximately 3,600, or 5.7%, left school before completing the junior certificate three years later. Approximately 8,900 of those who sat the junior certificate did not sit the leaving certificate and approximately 12,500, or 18.2%, young people leave school annually without the leaving certificate.
The problem of early school leaving is complex and addressing it requires action on a number of fronts, including legislative and curricular reforms and preventative interventions. This is the approach that my Department is taking. The Education Welfare Act 2000 and the establishment of the National Educational Welfare Board provides a comprehensive framework for promoting regular school attendance and tackling the problems of absenteeism and early school leaving. The Act requires schools to draw up school attendance strategies to promote regular school attendance, tackle the problems of absenteeism and early school leaving. The board is developing a nationwide service which is accessible to schools, parents, guardians and others who are concerned with the welfare of young people. It recently announced the establishment of five regional teams with bases in Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway and Waterford. For the first time, an educational welfare service is available in the cities of Limerick, Galway and Kilkenny and in 12 towns, 11 of which are designated under the Government's RAPID programme. The total staff complement of the board is 84.
My Department's curriculum reform strategies have included widening the educational experience available to students. These strategies aim to achieve a greater level of inclusiveness in curricular provision by expanding funding for programmes such as the junior certificate schools programme, JCSP, the leaving certificate vocational programme, LCVP, vocational preparation and training, VPT, and the leaving certificate applied, LCA. The Giving Children an Even Break programme provides additional financial and teaching supports for children in primary schools who are from disadvantaged backgrounds and most at risk of educational disadvantage and early school leaving. Expenditure on this programme in 2003 will exceed €17 million. The school completion programme has been implemented to directly target those in danger of dropping out of the education system and is a key component of my Department's strategy to discriminate positively in favour of children and young people who are at risk of early school leaving.
