There has been an angry reaction from the Opposition to a new report which shows that the number of pupils leaving school early has remained relatively unchanged at about 3,400.
The report by the National Economic and Social Forum says the problem of early school leaving is becoming more acute and complex, with those leaving school without qualifications becoming more marginalised and cut-off from the "knowledge economy".
It suggests primary and post-primary are not funded as well as third-level and the Department of Education needs to tackle this urgently.
"This is all the more opportune given the recent decline in numbers who are going on to third-level education," it says.
The Fine Gael spokesman on education, Mr Michael Creed, said the report was a "damning critique" of the Government's policies. Ms Róisín Shorthall, Labour's spokeswoman, said the findings were "shocking" and it showed the Government had wasted the last five years of prosperity.
The Green Party education spokesman, Mr Brian Meaney, said spending on primary education needed to doubled. He said there should be less emphasis on third-level spending.
The report says interventions to tackle the problem often come too late, often at Junior or Leaving Cert level, when little can be done. It says school and Department of Education programmes need to be "better geared" to the needs of young people and student councils and youth clubs should be consulted.
Vocational training is an alternative to the traditional Leaving Cert, but it needs to be more "actively encouraged". The "alarming" rise in the numbers of young people working during school term is also having a serious negative impact.
To deal with the problem of students leaving the system without any formal qualifications, the report proposes that a "certificate of achievement" is awarded to students no matter when they leave the post-primary system.
"It would be awarded on the basis of time attended and would list achievements in a range of academic and non-academic areas, as well as identify core competencies."
Non-academic achievements which could be assessed include attendance, punctuality and inter-personal skills, it adds.
The report also looks at the role of teachers and finds they have a significant bearing on retention rates.
It recommends that modules on social and educational disadvantage should become part of teacher training courses.