Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 10 November 2015
472. Deputy Mary Mitchell O'Connor asked the Minister for Education and Skills the school completion and retention rates; the number of pupils who leave school before the leaving certificate; the number of home school liaison officers; the number of young persons liaison officers work with; the cost of the School Completion Programme in 2011; in 2015; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38987/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe latest retention rates available in my Department relate to the pupil cohort that started post-primary school in 2008. The retention rate for that cohort was 90.6%. 5,293 pupils did not complete the Leaving Certificate out of a cohort of 6,075 students who started post-primary school in 2008.
Retention reports are available on the Statistics section of my Department's website at the following link:
http://www.education.ie/en/Publications/Statistics/Statistical-Reports/Other-Statistical-Reports.html.
The Home School Community Liaison (HSCL) Scheme operates in Urban Primary and Post Primary schools included in DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools). Participating schools are allocated additional posts through the assignment of HSCL Coordinators to individual schools or clusters of schools. Currently, there are 400 teachers deployed as HSCL Coordinators in DEIS schools with an enrolment of 169,500 pupils. The School Completion Programme comes within the policy remit of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs. It is managed by the senior management team within the Educational Welfare Service of TUSLA. In 2011 the School Completion Programme Cost was €30.25 million.
I am informed by TUSLA that the School Completion budget for 2015/16 is €24.75 million.
