Educational leave from work ‘will boost prospects’

THE poor job prospects of early school-leavers highlight the need for paid educational leave from work, teachers have claimed.

An Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) report published this week showed falling work opportunities for teenagers who drop out of school before the Leaving Certificate.

Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) general secretary Jim Dorney said the research findings should be seen as an incentive to open routes to college.