Latest news with #Education(Welfare)Act
RTÉ News
19-05-2025
- Politics
- RTÉ News
8.6% of primary school days lost to pupil absences in 2022/23
Data from the Child and Family Agency Tusla has shown a dramatic increase in primary pupil absenteeism in recent years with the latest figures showing that 8.6% of school days at primary level were lost to pupil absences in the 2022/23 school year. This compares to 5.2% of school days lost in the year prior to the Covid-19 pandemic in 2018/19. Tusla has confirmed that over 110,000 primary and 65,000 post-primary students missed 20 or more days during that academic year. This compares to 54,890 primary school pupils and 44,874 post primary students missing 20 or more days in 2018/19. Those numbers increased dramatically in subsequent years and the latest data confirms that they remained significantly higher in 2022/23, which is the latest year that figures have been compiled and published. The data shows that more than 11% of school days in post-primary schools were lost to student absences in the 2022/23 school year. This is lower than the proportion recorded in 2018/19, when 14.5% of days were recorded as lost. Minister for Education Helen McEntee has announced a number of measures to tackle what she has called "hugely alarming" absentee rates, including a national multimedia campaign to begin in September, to promote the importance of regular school attendance. Sixty schools will also be involved in a pilot scheme to analyse and respond to attendance data, and an expansion of educational welfare officer capacity has been promised. A scoping project to deliver real-time attendance data for better decision-making and intervention is also planned. In a statement, Ms McEntee said she plans to revise the Education (Welfare) Act, 2000 to strengthen statutory supports for young children, including bringing children under six attending primary school within its scope to ensure earlier intervention, and will shortly publish a new national plan on educational disadvantage, aligned with these measures. Currently the legislation only applies to children over the age of five. Minister McEntee said: "Regular attendance in school is essential not just for academic achievement, but for wellbeing, social development and long-term life outcomes. "Unfortunately, the stark reality is that in recent years we have seen a decline in regular attendance, and a rise in the number of children and young people missing a very concerning number of school days," Ms McEntee added. "School attendance is linked with attainment and with completing school. While there is excellent practice in schools to support children and young people to attend, we must listen to the data from Tusla and redouble our efforts".
Irish Examiner
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Irish Examiner
McEntee details measures to tackle 'hugely alarming' school absenteeism
A strengthening of current laws and the rollout of a multimedia ad campaign are among the measures contained in a new to tackle worrying rates of school absenteeism. Over 110,000 primary and 65,000 secondary students missed 20 or more days of school in the 2022/2023 school year, which education minister Helen McEntee has described as "hugely alarming". "Unfortunately, the stark reality is that in recent years we have seen a decline in regular attendance, and a rise in the number of children and young people missing a very concerning number of school days," said Ms McEntee, who on Monday is announcing a comprehensive suite of targeted and universal actions to improve school attendance. Among the key initiatives being introduced is the 'Anseo' programme, which is a new evidence-based framework to help schools analyse and respond to attendance data, which will be rolled out in 60 schools following a successful pilot. A national multimedia campaign, launching in September, will promote the importance of regular school attendance to students, parents, and guardians and there will be continued investment in the Educational Welfare Service, including expansion of educational welfare officer capacity. Ms McEntee also plans to revise the Education (Welfare) Act, 2000 to strengthen statutory supports for young children, including bringing children under the age of six attending primary school within its scope to ensure earlier intervention. Data published by Tusla in its latest annual attendance report shows concerning levels of student absence with 6.86m days lost in primary schools (8.6% of total days) and 5.56m days lost in post-primary schools (11.4%). Deis schools and special education settings recorded particularly high rates of absenteeism. Ms McEntee said: 'School attendance is linked with attainment and with completing school. While there is excellent practice in schools to support children and young people to attend, we must listen to the data from Tusla and redouble our efforts." Under the plan a national attendance conference will be held in early 2026 to share best practices and promote whole-system engagement, and a scoping project to deliver real-time attendance data for better decision-making and intervention will be rolled out. Read More Free online toolkit aims to combat 'chronic' absenteeism in schools
