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THE NUMBER OF students staying in school to complete their second level education is at its highest rate ever, according to a report published by the Department of Education.
The report shows that the percentage of students who remain at school to sit the Leaving Certificate has risen to just over 90 per cent, up 9 per cent in 11 years.
It also shows that the number of young men staying on at second level has risen significantly by 16 per cent in the same period.
The report, published on the Department’s website, presents the retention rates of pupils who entered the first year of the junior cycle in 2005 and 2006.
Commenting on the report, Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn said he was “extremely heartened” to see an increase in the numbers of young men staying on to complete their senior cycle.
A small gap remains between the sexes with 91.8 per cent of females completing second level. However, the gap is narrowing, standing at 3 per cent now compared with 9 per cent five years ago, the report shows.
“The contraction in the labour market has meant that for many young people there are more reasons to stay on in education, but it is also important to recognise measures taken by this Department,” Quinn said.
“The extra resources provided to the 200 second level schools under DEIS and programmes like the School Completion Programme have certainly also played their part.”
Kilkenny had the highest retention rate in the country at 94.17 per cent, followed by Roscommon. The report shows Dublin City has the lowest rate of retention for Leaving Certificate at 85.17 per cent.
The proportion of early school leavers in Ireland saw a decrease of 13 per cent from 2004 and is now well below the EU average at 10.6 per cent.
Speaking on Newstalk Breakfast this morning the Minister said he was still looking at savings that could be made in the budget to see what can be carried over into next year. He said the Department will try to be “as effective and creative as possible” without damaging the operation of the educational system.
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thats cause there is nothing else for them to do.
And that why its called your Leaving Certificate.
It qualifies you to leave, by the nearest exit, while the gloden circle dynastic ascendancies continue to consolidate the wealth of the island into their offshore havens.
But you can come back when you’re on your feet and we’ll have another pint of your blood.
Totally, it’s because there’s no building boom that sees young lads leaving to work on sites
It’s good to see, but I wish more parents would encourage kids to complete their education, regardless of opportunities that might be present in the economy. We need to have at least an LC as a fall back position for shifts in the economy.
Obviously, the unemployment from the boom is as unprecedented as the bubble itself was, but we wouldn’t have such difficulty with skills conversion if there was a higher general level of education.
That’s why cuts to education, grants etc while setting up schemes to allow employers get free interns is so risable. You have to play the long game, and training people with relevant skills is far more important than giving corporate dole to massage the headline unemployment figures.
Yeah its crazy how some people and their parents don’t see that value in education. I never saw not finishing school as an option, but I remember that around the time of my junior cert there was guy bragging about leaving school after it!
Crazy.
Ruairi Quinn is quietly taking credit for this too, the man is deluded. The young people see the writing on the wall, finish school to get the hell out of here. He sees this as a success, maybe statistically but not so in reality, truth is we are losing our hope for the future right there.
I would assume that this would, in part anyway be due to a lack of apprenticeships in the trades!
True Derek is absolutely nothing else to do
I meant true
Of course they are staying in school, what else is there for them to do! I’d say a lot of people now are wishing they could go back, sit the leaving again sure. It would be better than sitting on your arse penniless, frustrated and bored.
And with these good figures the government want to cut back even further!? Bunch of morons. Makes me so angry. Especially when they can throw away a million euro on some stupid pointless river boat!!! :-o
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