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VEC to investigate the number of school drop outs [leitrimobserver.ie]

Last Updated: Wednesday, 24 March 2010 10:05

Leitrim VEC have undertaken to investigate into the number of secondary school drop outs in the county to establish if there is a need for a Youth Reach Centre in Leitrim.

Cllr John Ward brought up the issue at the March meeting saying "There is a Youth Reach Centre in nearly every county in Ireland, except Leitrim." He enquired into why this was so.

CEO of Leitrim VEC, John Blunnie said that these centres are for people "who have dropped out early from school." He said the reason why Leitrim has never looked for one is that based on the Department of Education's statistics, Leitrim has only a "small number" of pupils who drop out of school. Mr Blunnie also told members that in the past the Traveller Training Centre in Carrick-on-Shannon had also facilitated those who had dropped out of school, unfortunately he said this situation has changed. Mr Blunnie said the Youth Reach Centre would need at least 15 - 20 young people aged 15-18 years old to attend it each year for it to be viable.

Full Story: www.leitrimobserver.ie