Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 30 January 2008
1023 Deputy Brian Hayes asked the Minister for Education and Science the breakdown of the figures for student absenteeism numbers for both primary and post primary schools in Cork each year from 2002 to 2007; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1973/08]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Education (Welfare) Act, 2000 established the National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB) as the single national body with responsibility for school attendance. The Act provides a comprehensive framework promoting regular school attendance and tackling the problems of absenteeism and early school leaving. The general functions of the Board are to ensure that each child attends a recognised school or otherwise receives a certain minimum education.
Under the terms of the Education (Welfare) Act, 2000, one of the functions of the Board is to conduct and commission research into the reasons for non-attendance on the part of students and into the strategies and programmes designed to prevent it. Ongoing activities of the Board include the development of a Code of Behaviour and Attendance Strategies for Schools.
The first national data on school attendance has been collected and is being used to inform the Board's work. In relation to the effectiveness of the service, it is encouraging to note research findings indicate that attendance at school in the areas where EWOs are working intensively improved with the mean percentage of students absent 20 days or more having decreased by over 4% in 2004/05 compared with the previous year. The NEWB collects data for absences over 20 days. The first year data was collected on an individual county basis was for the 2004/05 school year.
In relation to the Deputy's specific question relating to student absenteeism in the Cork region I am informed that data in the format requested is available from the 2004/2005 school year. The published data for 2004/05 indicates that 7.4% of primary pupils in Cork were absent for more than 20 days during that school year. The figure for post-primary pupils was 12.5% for the same period. These figures compare favourably with the national averages for pupils absent for more than 20 days (10% for primary and 18.8% at post primary level). The 2005/06 data is currently being prepared by the NEWB for final publication and the 2006/2007 data has not yet been analysed.
This government is determined to do all that is possible to ensure that every child gets all the opportunities and support they need to enable them to achieve their potential and participate fully in education.
