Third Level Education:
The overall new entrant non-progression rate was 15% in 2007/08 and has remained constant at 16% from 2010/11 to 2012/13. While the number of new entrants increased from 2007/08 to 2012/13, the number of students who did not progress to the following year of study, also increased between these periods. Of note, the rate of non-progression at level 6 in the institute of technology sector shows an incline from 2007/08 of 25% to 30% in 2010/11 and 2011/12. This declined to 26% in 2012/13. In the colleges sector (level 8), the non-progression rate remains consistent at 4% with the exception of 2012/13 where a two percentage point difference is observed. However, the numbers remain very small overall for this sector and so small differences may appear significant. See Table 2. As part of the implementation of the National Plan for Equity of Access to Higher Education 2015-19, a working group is being established to address the issue of non-progression and non-completion in higher education.
Further Education and Training:
The information on Further Education and Training is being compiled and will be sent directly to the Deputy.
Table 1: National Leaving Certificate Retention Rate for 2004 - 2008 cohorts
Year Retention Rate %
2004 87.7
2005 89.5
2006 90.2
2007 90.1
2008 90.6
Table 2: Trends in Non-Progression Rates by Sector and NFQ Level from 2007/08 to 2012/13
Sector Level 2007/08 - 2008/09 2010/11 - 2011/12 2011/12 - 2012/13 2012/13 - 2013/14
Institutes of Technology Level 6

Level 7

Level 8

All New Entrants 25%

26%

16%

22% 30%

28%

17%

24% 30%

29%

17%

24% 26%

28%

17%

23%
Universities Level 8 9% 9% 10% 11%
Colleges Level 8 4% 4% 4% 6%
All Institutions Level 8 11% 11% 11% 12%
All Institutions All New Entrants 15% 16% 16% 16%