Extra investment may cut high college drop-out rate

Extra investment to cater for more students in the further education sector could help reduce the problem of high college drop-out rates, a leading education figure has said.

Michael Moriarty, general secretary of Education and Training Boards Ireland (ETBI), said a key factor in the 16% drop-out rate among first-year third-level students is that many of them are in the wrong courses or attending the wrong institutions.

ETBI represents the 16 ETBs, who run post-Leaving Certificate (PLC), further education courses, and training schemes for school leavers, as well as managing nearly 300 second-level schools.