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Extra.ie
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Extra.ie
Alarm at spike in 'chronic' school absences
Education Minister Helen McEntee has been accused of 'repackaging' old policies, which were 'gutted' in the austerity era, as 'a new solution' to soaring school absenteeism. The number of children 'chronically absent' from school – meaning they miss 20 or more days a year – has increased by 62,000 since the 2017/2018 academic year, to 175,000 in 2022/23. It means that a shocking 24% of the total population at both primary and secondary levels have missed enough days to compel schools to report their absences to Tusla. Education Minister Helen McEntee. Pic: Stephen Collins /Collins Photos Ms McEntee yesterday announced a suite of measures to tackle school absenteeism, which she described as 'hugely alarming'. Among these was a commitment to provide continued investment in the School Completion Programme (SCP) and Educational Welfare Service, and the implementation of a framework to help schools 'analyse and respond to attendance data'. However, funding for the SCP has been slashed since the economic crash in 2008, and is €7million below its level then. Jen Cummins, education spokeswoman for the Social Democrats. Pic: Stephen Collins/Collins Photos Jen Cummins, education spokeswoman for the Social Democrats, has voiced 'frustration' over the narrative around the measures, saying: 'We're being told this is a new initiative. It's not.' Ms Cummins worked as a co-ordinator in the SCP for 18 years prior to entering politics. The programme targets students who are potentially at risk of early school leaving and tries to keep them in education or training initiatives. A paper from the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) found that the SCP 'helps make attending school a more positive experience for children and young people'. Pic: Getty Images However, the paper notes widespread dissatisfaction among coordinators in terms of resources. Funding for the SCP fell from €32.9million in 2008 to €23.3million in 2019. Extra money has been allocated to it since 2020, with its funding allocation reaching € 31.6 million in 2023, but the ESRI highlights that current funding lags behind pre-cash levels when inflation is factored in. 'The equivalent of 2008 funding levels would be €38.7million in 2023 prices, compared to actual levels of funding of €31.6million in 2023,' the researchers wrote. Jen Cummins, education spokeswoman for the Social Democrats. Pic: Alan Rowlette/© While Covid was a significant driver of absenteeism, Ms Cummins said the 'erosion' of initiatives like the SCP has been 'deeply damaging', and has made it harder for schools to cope with absenteeism. She told 'We used to have attendance monitors who would work for three hours a day monitoring whole school attendance. 'They promoted positive attendance and punctuality… but during the austerity period the SCP moved under the remit of Tusla and funding was reduced. And it was just death by a thousand cuts, because we had to reduce and reduce and reduce the hours for attendance monitors. Pic: File 'Some staff moved on, some programmes couldn't afford to continue, and none of it was backed up by Tusla or the department. Now, the Department of Education is piloting a new attendance strategy that mirrors almost exactly what SCPs were doing a decade ago. 'We're being told this is a new initiative. It's not. It's the resurrection of a strategy that was working–until the State pulled the rug out from under it.' Ms Cummins welcomed efforts to strengthen the role of educational welfare officers and the announcement of a national communications campaign to promote the importance of regular attendance. She also praised plans to bring children under six within the scope of the Education (Welfare) Act 2000 to ensure earlier intervention. However, she questioned how the new framework, called Anseo, will work without extra resourcing. She said: 'It is great they're going to focus on attendance, but they need someone dedicated in school to do that. Are you going to ask the school secretary, who's already doing a million things a day?' She added: 'The reason attendance promoters worked so well is because there was a dedicated staff member. 'Attendance is not just a number – it's a lifeline. This Government is only waking up to that now, after stripping away the teams that were tackling the issue. It's not good enough. 'There must be immediate reinvestment in the SCP, with restored funding for attendance-specific roles across all Deis schools, and accountability for the policy decisions that created the crisis.' Pic: Getty Images Data provided by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, shows 12.4 million days were lost across primary and secondary students for the 2022/2023 academic year due to absenteeism. This was an increase on the 10.2million days lost in 2017/2018, when data was last available before the pandemic. Over 175,000 students missed 20 or more days in 2022/2023, a rise of 62,000 on pre-pandemic levels to equate to one in every four school children (24%). The Association of Secondary Teachers in Ireland (ASTI) said there is evidence that the pandemic led to increased absenteeism. 'A key concern for the ASTI is the lack of adequate supports within and outside schools to support them in putting strategies in place for students at risk,' the union said. According to Tallaght Community National School principal Conor McCarthy, numerous factors, some of which are linked to Covid, are fuelling school absenteeism. He cited a rise in the number of parents working from home, more families going on holiday at off-peak times and a growing number of migrant children facing difficulties attending school due to their accommodation. 'In general, parents are not making as much of an effort to send their children to school,' Mr McCarthy said. The principal, who returned to the classroom last year due to a shortage of teachers, said chronic absenteeism means 'any issues a child may experience at school is compounded'. He said missing stretches of the curriculum can have repercussions on a child's educational and social development. 'The less they are in the classroom, the harder they might find it to build relationships, which has a knock-on effect on their social wellbeing,' he said. 'If a student is coming back to school after missing a week, the class might have learned a new song or poem and that child feels on the outside because they can't join in.' Ms McEntee said the issue 'warrants action'. 'This is why I am today announcing a comprehensive suite of measures to improve school attendance,' she said. '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.' She added: 'These measures are rooted in evidence and collaboration and are designed to ensure every child is supported to attend, engage and succeed in school, to enhance their lifelong opportunities.'
Belfast Telegraph
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Belfast Telegraph
Government pressed as survey shows teachers want schools to be more secular
The survey, issued by Civica to members of the Irish National Teachers' Organisation (INTO), found that just 4% of teachers think preparing students for sacraments should be the responsibility of primary schools. The research – carried out on behalf of the largest teachers' union on the island, representing 45,000 primary school teachers in the Republic – indicated that 47% believe the family should take responsibility, while 30% said it should be the parish. The 34-question survey collected data online from 1,049 respondents from January 8 to 17. The vast majority said they taught in Catholic schools (88%), with 5% in Educate Together and 4% in Church of Ireland schools. A large majority said children in all schools should be taught about other religions (83%), with just 9% saying they should not. And 63% said primary school education should have secular patrons, while 37% said they should be religious. A slight majority (57%) said faith formation should not take place in schools, while 43% said it should. Asked whether religion should be taught in schools by the class teacher, 46% said no and 39% said yes. On Wednesday, INTO members accepted recommendations by a union taskforce to accelerate the divestment of schools, to call for the collection of national data on parental and community preferences; and challenge the requirement for a religious certificate as a condition of employment in denominational schools. 'The findings from our survey and the comprehensive work of our taskforce reflect a concern among teachers about the mismatch between modern Irish society and the structures governing our primary schools,' INTO general secretary John Boyle said. 'INTO members want a school system that is inclusive, equitable and reflective of the diversity of our pupils.' The Social Democrats and People Before Profit called for the findings of the survey to be acted on by the Government. Social Democrats TD Jen Cummins said the survey confirms 'widespread support among primary school teachers for a reduced role of religion in our classrooms'. 'The results reflect a growing consensus in Irish society that our education system must evolve to reflect the diversity of modern Ireland,' the party's education spokeswoman said. 'It is therefore not surprising that the INTO survey found that most primary teachers want secular patrons for schools and believe faith formation should no longer take place in the classroom.' Ms Cummins said the last programme for government committed to delivering 400 multi-denominational primary schools by 2030, but this was 'highly unlikely' to be achieved. She also expressed concern that a proposal for a citizens' assembly on education appears to have been 'watered down' to a national convention on education. Then-taoiseach Simon Harris said in July that the Government had 'not yet' considered the question of establishing a citizens' assembly on education. People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy said Ireland's education system remains 'mired in the Dark Ages'. 'Clearly Fianna Fail and Fine Gael are afraid the answers they would get from 100 ordinary people would force them to challenge the Catholic Church, something they remain determined to avoid,' he said. Mr Murphy said he would introduce a bill in the next Dail term that would repeal laws that allow for teachers to be discriminated against on the basis of their religious or secular beliefs. 'The Catholic Church runs nine out of 10 primary schools in this state. This means that non-Catholic primary school teachers are discriminated against in job applications, forced to obtain qualifications in teaching a religion they don't believe in, and then are forced to teach that religion. 'They are also exposed to an ever-present risk of discrimination, and even of losing their jobs, because of their beliefs. 'It is ludicrous that in this day and age, teachers can still be discriminated against because of their religious beliefs.' The survey was published to coincide with the INTO annual conference being held this week in Galway.
BreakingNews.ie
23-04-2025
- Politics
- BreakingNews.ie
Government urged to act as survey shows teachers want schools to be more secular
Opposition politicians have called on the Government to act on a survey that found teachers believe schools should be more secular. The survey, issued by Civica to members of the Irish National Teachers' Organisation (INTO), found that just 4 per cent of teachers think preparing students for sacraments should be the responsibility of primary schools. Advertisement The research, carried out on behalf of the largest teachers' union on the island, representing 45,000 primary school teachers in the Republic, indicated that 47 per cent believe the family should take responsibility, while 30 per cent said it should be the parish. The 34-question survey collected data online from 1,049 respondents from January 8 to 17. The vast majority (88 percent) said they taught in Catholic schools, 5 per cent in Educate Together, and 4 per cent in Church of Ireland schools. A large majority (83 percent) said children in all schools should be taught about other religions, with just 9 per cent saying they should not. Advertisement 63 per cent said primary school education should have secular patrons, while 37 per cent said they should be religious. A slight majority (57 per cent) said faith formation should not take place in schools, while 43 per cent said it should. Asked whether religion should be taught in schools by the class teacher, 46 per cent said no and 39 per cent said yes. The Social Democrats and People Before Profit called for the Government to take action given the findings. Advertisement Social Democrats TD Jen Cummins said the survey confirms 'widespread support among primary school teachers for a reduced role of religion in our classrooms'. 'The results reflect a growing consensus in Irish society that our education system must evolve to reflect the diversity of modern Ireland,' the party's education spokeswoman said. 'It is therefore not surprising that the INTO survey found that most primary teachers want secular patrons for schools and believe faith formation should no longer take place in the classroom.' Ms Cummins said the last programme for government committed to delivering 400 multi-denominational primary schools by 2030, but this was 'highly unlikely' to be achieved. Advertisement She also expressed concern that a proposal for a citizens' assembly on education appears to have been 'watered down' to a national convention on education. Then-taoiseach Simon Harris said in July that the Government had 'not yet' considered the question of establishing a citizens' assembly on education. People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy said Ireland's education system remains 'mired in the Dark Ages'. Paul Murphy (Niall Carson/PA) 'Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are afraid the answers they would get from 100 ordinary people would force them to challenge the Catholic Church, something they remain determined to avoid,' he said. Advertisement Mr Murphy said he would introduce a bill in the next Dáil term that would repeal laws that allow for teachers to be discriminated against on the basis of their religious or secular beliefs. 'The Catholic Church runs nine out of 10 primary schools in this state. This means that non-Catholic primary school teachers are discriminated against in job applications, forced to obtain qualifications in teaching a religion they don't believe in, and then are forced to teach that religion. Business Medical device company opens new facility in Galwa... Read More 'They are also exposed to an ever-present risk of discrimination, and even of losing their jobs, because of their beliefs. 'It is ludicrous that in this day and age, teachers can still be discriminated against because of their religious beliefs.' The survey was published to coincide with the INTO annual conference being held this week in Galway.
