Written answers

Tuesday, 12 February 2008

Department of Education and Science

School Absenteeism

9:00 pm

Photo of Róisín ShortallRóisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 458: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the data she has available to her in respect of school attendance rates over the past ten years on a national level and in respect of an area (details supplied) in Dublin 11; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4643/08]

Photo of Mary HanafinMary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The 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 Guidelines 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 for which data were 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 Ballymun, I am informed by the Board that the data in the format requested is not available for 2004/05. However analysis on data for Co Dublin in 2004/05 indicates that in the Primary Sector 13.7% of pupils were absent for 20 days or more, while at Post Primary level the corresponding figure was 18.2%. The national average for pupils absent for more than 20 days was 10% at primary level and 18.8% at post primary level in 2004/05. Analysis on the 2005/06 data has been carried out and the report is currently being prepared for publication by the NEWB. 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. It must be remembered also that the service provided by the NEWB is just one aspect of the comprehensive framework that this Government has put in place to support schools, families and young people themselves. In this regard, extra supports targeted at young people in disadvantaged areas include both educational initiatives such as intensive literacy programmes and the provision of breakfast and homework clubs.

In fact, in addition to the NEWB, there are currently in excess of 620 staff within the education sector in education disadvantage programmes of which over 130 are additional posts allocated under DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools) the action plan for educational inclusion which provides for a standardised system for identifying levels of disadvantage and a new integrated School Support Programme (SSP). The School Completion Programme (SCP) is a preventative measure designed to combat issues of poor attendance and early school leaving. School attendance is a central objective of SCP with targeted interventions for children at risk of early school leaving through a variety of extra supports aimed at encouraging them to stay in school. These supports cover both educational and non-educational interventions and are provided during and outside of school time. The Home School Community Liaison Scheme (HSCL) works to involve parents in their children's education which is a crucial component in convincing young people of the value of education. Work is ongoing to develop appropriate protocols for all agencies and services to work together in collaboration and to ensure that optimum use is made of the resources deployed.

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