Ivan Yates
Question:15 Mr. Yates asked the Minister for Education her views on the increasing reports of pupil absenteeism by teachers and school attendance officers; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Pupil Absenteeism.
Mary Harney
Question:18 Miss Harney asked the Minister for Education the plans, if any, she has to combat truancy in the light of evidence now available highlighting the fact that many persistent truants tend to get sucked into a culture of petty crime with consequent serious results for their own life's prospects and for the community at large.
Paul Connaughton
Question:29 Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister for Education her views on the increasing reports of pupil absenteeism by teachers and school attendance officers; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
Phil Hogan
Question:51 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for Education her views on the increasing reports by teachers and school attendance officers of pupil absenteeism; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
Donal Carey
Question:76 Mr. Carey asked the Minister for Education her views on the increasing reports of pupil absenteeism by teachers and school attendance officers; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
Dinny McGinley
Question:145 Mr. McGinley asked the Minister for Education her views on the high incidence of school truancy; the policy in relation to this serious problem; and the measures, if any, she proposes to adopt in order to alleviate this difficulty.
Liz McManus
Question:147 Ms McManus asked the Minister for Education if she intends to provide support for children who are at risk of dropping out of the system in view of the obligation by her Department to ensure that children are at school up to the age of 15.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 15, 18, 29, 51, 76, 145 and 147 together.
I have not received reports which would indicate an increase in levels of non-attendance or truancy among school pupils. However, I regard the problem of truancy as a very serious one not only because of the educational disadvantage it results in for the child but also because it can be an important indicator of personal, familial or other social problems.
As part of the prepartory work for new legislation in education a Departmental Working Group is currently reviewing the operation of the School Attendance Acts and will be making recommendations for the up-dating of the legislative provision in this area having consulted with the relevant interest groups.
Available statistics indicate that poor school attendance is particularly prevalent in disadvantaged areas. The Deputy will be aware that in order to help schools in such areas respond more effectively to the needs of their pupils I will be approving the appointment of an additional 80 teachers primary for schools serving disadvantaged areas for the 1993-94 school-year. This will allow me bring an extra 50 schools into the disadvantaged scheme for the first time. Furthermore a number of schools already in the scheme which experience particularly severe problems including high levels of truancy will be allocated an additional teacher.
School attendance is primarily the responsibility of pupils' parents or guardians. If parents in the home can be assisted to participate in an active way in the educational process with their children it may be possible to minimise the disadvantages with which children have to cope within the school system and which can result in truancy. The purpose of the home/school/community liaison scheme is to increase the mutual understanding of home and school and to help parents contribute to their children's education. Currently the scheme is operating in 105 primary and post-primary schools designated as disadvantaged, using 61 teachers who have been assigned as home/school co-ordinators. In the next school year I will be extending the scheme to cover substantially more disadvantaged schools. The Government is committed to the development of a nationwide home/school liaison service.
Dinny McGinley
Question:16 Mr. McGinley asked the Minister for Education if phase 3 of the development of the Abbey Vocational School, Donegal town, is included in the 1993 budget allocation; and when work will commence on the project.
My reply to Question No. 164 of 10 March 1993 outlined the major projects to be funded in the 1993 budget allocation and scheduled to commence in 1993. The Abbey Vocational School was not included in that list.
It has not been possible to include financial provision for the extension in the Abbey School in the 1993 second-level programme because of other demands deemed to be a higher priority which had to take precedence. It will continue to be considered for inclusion in the programme in the light of available resources and other commitments and priorities.