Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 250: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of children dropping out of school who were identified with serious literacy problems and failing to achieve any qualifications at the time of leaving school in each of the years 2005, 2006 and 2007. [11004/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The specific data requested by the Deputy are not available to my Department. Survey work undertaken by the Educational Research Centre (ERC) in 2007 includes an assessment of literacy levels in over 400 schools at primary level in mainly disadvantaged areas. The results from this research will feed into policy planning and programme evaluation in the area of social inclusion. A circular also issued from my Department to all primary schools in December 2006 asking them to implement standardised testing in English reading and Mathematics beginning in the calendar year 2007 for all pupils at the end of first class or the beginning of second class, and at the end of fourth class or the beginning of fifth class.

Schools have also been asked to ensure that, with effect from the current school year, the results of testing are reported to parents in respect of their own children in accordance with a broader reporting template, designed to report progress on children's learning to parents. This template is being finalised by the NCCA and will be available very shortly. The latest data published by my Department on retention rates in second-level schools relate to the cohort of entrants to the first year of junior cycle in 1996. Students in this cohort would have sat the Leaving Certificate in either 2001 or 2002, depending on whether they took the Transition Year Programme. The published data for the 1996 cohort indicates that the national adjusted retention rate to completion of the Junior Certificate examination is 94.6% and the national adjusted retention rate to completion of the Leaving Certificate examination is 81.3%.

As regards those who depart from second-level education prior to the Leaving Certificate, the available statistical evidence indicates that the increasing range of further education and training opportunities available for these students is having a positive impact. CSO data show that the educational profile of 20-24 year olds in Ireland has improved steadily over the last five years, as increasing opportunities have been made available in the further education and training sector. By 2005, 85.8% of 20-24 year olds had attained upper second-level education or equivalent, up from 82.6% in 2000 and putting Ireland ahead of the EU average of 77.5%.

My Department has adopted a broad-based approach to tackling early school leaving. We established the National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB) to monitor attendance and help to get young people back to school. We have widened the range of curricula available to students by promoting the Junior Certificate Schools Programme, the Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme, and the Leaving Certificate Applied Programme in addition to the traditional Junior and Leaving Certificate curricula. We have also put preventative measures in place such as the School Completion Programme and the Home School Community Liaison Scheme (HSCL).

Enhancing attendance, progression, retention and attainment are central to DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools) the action plan for educational inclusion, which is being implemented at present. The action plan represents a shift in emphasis away from individual initiatives, each addressing a particular aspect of the problem, with the new plan adopting a multi-faceted and more integrated approach. This is the first time that an integrated educational inclusion strategy has been developed for 3-18 year olds in this country.

In relation to second chance educational opportunities for young people who left school early, this Government has shown a sustained commitment to providing greater opportunities in the adult and further education sectors. Many such young people take up places in Youthreach centres, while others pursue options such as FAS apprenticeships. I would like to assure the Deputy that we have greatly intensified our efforts in recent years both to keep more young people in school and to provide increased educational opportunities for those who left school early. I will continue to prioritise further progress in this area.