Drop-out rate for 15-year-old students more than doubles

THE school drop-out rate among 15-year-olds has more than doubled in a decade despite massive government investment in increasing retention rates, according to latest census report.

The figures published yesterday show that 3,679 15 year olds, or 6.6% of the 58,318 people of that age, had ceased full-time education when the census was taken in April last year. The equivalent rate was 5.5% in 2002 and just 3.1% in 1996.

Gender comparisons show the drop-out rate for 15-year-old boys rose from 3.7% to 7% in the same decade and from 2.4% to 5.6% among girls.