Part-time work by school-goers in disadvantaged areas of Dublin is "drastically affecting" their Leaving Cert performance, according to the Dublin Employment Pact (DEP).
The idea of paying young people to remain on in the senior cycle has been suggested as an alternative to having them doing long hours of work as well as school.
Mr Philip O'Connor, director of the DEP, said last year's Leaving Certificate results had clearly shown this.
"While results in higher-level subjects showed an improvement, results in ordinary-level papers for the first time deteriorated quite drastically," he said.
"Far too many students, especially in disadvantaged areas, are working excessive hours, which is demonstrably damaging their school performance and thus reinforcing patterns of poverty."
Mr O'Connor said it was clear the phenomenon of students working part-time was here to stay. It was now time to seek to manage the hours and conditions of such work.
The Dublin Employment Pact, which deals with links between unemployment and early school-leaving, is funded under the National Development Plan. It is holding a seminar on Thursday to look at how a balance can be struck between school and part-time work.
Speakers from Norway will explain how they allow students to enter the workforce after the compulsory junior-level cycle and then return to finish their higher exams if they wish, within four years.
As a result, 97 per cent of people aged from 16 to 20 are either in school or in the workplace.
The seminar will also look at the possibility of paying students to remain in the senior cycle.
"This is quite a contentious issue but I'm sure we will hear more and more about it as time goes on," Mr O'Connor said.
He said he was increasingly concerned at the number of teenagers leaving school to take up unskilled work.
Should a recession strike, these people could join the ranks of the long-term unemployed.
Mr O'Connor called for more flexible courses to allow early school-leavers to accumulate qualifications and credits. The Dublin Employment Pact is involved in three pilot projects aimed at allowing young working adults to get educational qualifications without leaving their work.
The "Striking the Balance" seminar begins at 8.45 a.m. on Thursday at the Red Cow Inn, Moran's Hotel, Naas Road, Dublin. For more details, contact Ms Sandra Moran at 01-878 8900.