School Drop Out Rate Huge In Some Areas

Date Published: 12-Aug-2008

AS many city students will be receiving their Leaving Cert. results tomorrow, the grim reality is that there is a dropout rate from school as high as 60% in parts of Galway.

It is understood that the average number of students who do not complete secondary school in Galway city is around 20%. But some parts of the city — and particularly the less well off areas — are experiencing almost two thirds of a drop-out rate.

The areas referred to are mainly in the west side of the city where the number of students not sitting their Leaving Cert has reached crisis proportions.

Figures obtained by Senator Fidelma Healy Eames (FG) suggest that students in certain parts of the city opt out of secondary school education more than others.

She said that the focus of attention will be on those students who achieve 500 to 600 points in their Leaving. “And while this is understandable, there are another group of students who will not be celebrating because they have done…