9,000 students drop out before Leaving Cert

MORE than 9,000 students leave school before the Leaving Certificate every year, a study has shown.

Published by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), No Way Back is the most comprehensive study to date looking at the reason behind dropout rates.

The report found around 9,000 young people leave school before taking the Leaving Certificate. The proportion of people staying on at school has remained relatively stable since the mid 1990s.

Early leaving rates differ markedly by social background, with much higher levels among young people from working-class and unemployed households.

“Disengagement from school is therefore a significant source of inequality in Irish society,” the report found.

The study also found allocating students to base classes according to their academic ability has a significant effect on dropout rates. Students allocated to lower stream classes “experience a climate of low expectations and negative student-teacher interaction, and are much more likely to leave school early”.

Most early school leavers were found to have experienced unemployment after leaving school. Where they obtain jobs, they tend to be in insecure and/or low-skilled areas. They are therefore particularly vulnerable to the current economic climate.

The report suggests a positive school climate, more active teaching methods and flexible ability grouping would help to engage young people with learning and encourage them to complete second level education.

Another report from the ESRI published today highlights the experiences of those students who participated in the Leaving Certificate Applied (LCA) programme.

Some LCA feel “misdirected” by the school into taking the programme and are often segregated from students in other Leaving Certificate programmes.