A new report has revealed the proportion of 25 to 34-year-olds who have completed upper secondary education in Ireland is above average.

Figures from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) show 19 per cent of students in OECD assessed countries drop out of school early, compared with 14 per cent in Ireland.

However, almost one in five students (17.2 per cent) in the nation performed below level 2 in PISA 2009 in reading, which is similar to the OECD average (18.8 per cent).

As a result, many individuals may lack the skills needed to function in today's labour market and could struggle to find a good job.

Students from low socio-economic backgrounds are 2.40 times more likely to be low performers than their peers with high socio-economic status, the study also found.

In order to improve education systems and help disadvantaged pupils, the OECD recommended eliminating grade repetition, avoiding early tracking and deferring student selection to upper secondary, managing school choice, making funding strategies and designing equivalent upper secondary education pathways to ensure completion.

Written by Donal Walsh

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