Poor funding blamed for school dropout rates

POOR school funding and Government inaction have been blamed for half of students dropping out of some schools before completing their Leaving Certificate.

Latest Department of Education figures show half the students in almost 10% of second-level schools drop out before the Leaving Cert examination. The statistic applies to 20% of schools in Co Longford and 18.6% of those in Dublin city.

In contrast, at least 75% of schools in counties Kerry, Leitrim, Mayo, Tipperary north had a student retention rate of 80% or higher up to Leaving Cert.

The figures refer to the 64,000 who began second-level in 1996, of whom 77.8% sat the Leaving Cert in 2001 or 2002.

Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI) general secretary John White said the poor retention rate raises the issue of under-funding for second-level education. OECD figures put Ireland 21st of 27 developed countries in terms of spending per second-level student.

"Steps must be taken in the forthcoming budget to redress this imbalance. The measures taken so far have not addressed the problem.

"Furthermore, we have 30,000 students in classes of 30 or more. The education system is also coping with the mainstreaming of students with special needs and a large intake of international students for whom English is not their first language," Mr White said.

Teachers Union of Ireland (TUI) president Paddy Healy said the figures are a damning indictment of inequality in Irish society.

"Early dropout is almost invariably a legacy of poverty within certain communities. While schools in disadvantaged areas do a great deal, they can not be expected to do absolutely everything," he said.

Education Minister Mary Hanafin acknowledged the 1996 cohort figures show little change in overall retention rates since analysis began on the 1991 intake.

But retention rates have improved in the vocational sector, she said.

She highlighted recent initiatives aimed at addressing the problem of early school leaving, such as the setting up of the National Edcuational Welfare Board to monitor and tackle poor attendance, and providing supports under the School Completion Programme and Home School Community Liaison scheme.

She has secured an extra €40 million a year to tackle educational disadvantage at primary and second level. The spending is set to begin early next year and will create 300 extra teaching jobs after schools most in need of assistance have been identified.

However, Labour Party education spokesperson Jan O'Sullivan accused the Government of failing to expand programmes which have already helped address disadvantage in some areas.

"As a result, thousands of children in disadvantaged areas are falling behind because they can not get the attention they need," she said.

Ms O'Sullivan said the dropout figures are not surprising as the Government has not made education the priority it should be.