Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 February 2022
489. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Education her plans to amend the Education (Welfare) Act 2000 for the duration of the pandemic in view of school absences necessitated by Covid-19 infection; and if not, the steps that her Department plans to take to assist parents of a symptomatic child or a child who is a close contact and has reached the minimum threshold for school absences. [9895/22]
View answerMy Department has provided guidance to schools in relation to the recording and reporting of Covid-19 related absences. COVID-19 related absences arising from students who have been requested to self-isolate by a medical professional or for students who feel unwell with symptoms consistent with COVID-19 must be recorded in accordance with the school’s normal procedures for the notification and recording of absences. However these COVID-19 related absences should be noted by the school as explained absences.
The Education (Welfare) Act requires the principal of a recognised school to maintain records of the attendance or non-attendance on each school day of each student registered at that school. Schools maintain a school register and a school roll. The purpose of the school register is to preserve a permanent record of the school history of each student. The purpose of the school roll is to record the daily and cumulative attendance of individual students.
In line with the provisions of the Education (Welfare) Act, 2000 a Principal of a recognised school is obliged to inform Tusla of a student's absence where the aggregate number of school days on which a student is absent from a recognised school during a school year is not less than 20 or where a student is, in the opinion of the principal of the recognised school at which he or she is enrolled, not attending school regularly. However, this may not result in any intervention in cases where the absences are explained. Tusla Education Support Service (TESS) is very aware that some students will be absent for Covid-19-related reasons. Absences are reported to TESS as explained and unexplained, and together they make up the cumulative number of days marked absent. This has remained the reporting requirement throughout COVID-19 pandemic.
