More than 15 per cent of 17-year-olds in the City of Melton have dropped out of school, according to a new report released by HealthWest.
The Population Health Data report compared school retention rates in Brimbank, Hobsons Bay, Maribyrnong, Melton and Wyndham.
Melton had the highest rate of school drop-outs in the western suburbs, followed by Wyndham (13.6 per cent) and Brimbank (9.3), the latter falling below the state average of 10.5 per cent.
Year 10 to 12 public school retention rates in the western metropolitan region (82 per cent) were also lower than the northern region (92).
In Brimbank, teens aged 15 to 19 were more likely to be fully engaged in work or study than Melton, Wyndham and Hobsons Bay residents. More than half (58 per cent) Brimbank’s 15-to-19-year-olds were studying full-time; 16.7 per cent were studying full-time and working part-time; and 3.6 per cent were working full-time.
The data published by HealthWest indicated year 12 Brimbank graduates were most likely to continue their education past high school.
A total 51 per cent of students who finished year 12 went on to university; 20.2 per cent completed a VET certificate IV or above; 5.5 per cent took on apprenticeships; and 6.5 per cent were looking for work.
Meanwhile, Melton teenagers were more likely to be working or looking for work.
While only 37.5 per cent of Melton students who finished year 12 went on to university, 6.7 per cent were employed full-time and 14 per cent part-time.
“Melton and Maribyrnong had a higher proportion of early school leavers [who] went on to full-time employment, compared to the state average [of 53.2 per cent],” the report says.
Brimbank, Melton, Wyndham and Hobsons Bay students also recorded high rates of absenteeism in 2009, according to the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, with kids most likely to have the most days off during prep and grades 1 and 2.
Melton prep pupils were absent for a whopping 17.5 days and Brimbank preps for 17.2 days, compared to 14.7 across the state.
