MORE THAN 100,000 children miss over 20 days each year and non-attendance is greater among older children and children who live in more disadvantaged areas and in urban areas, according to the annual report of the National Educational Welfare Board.
The board said the percentage of student days lost through absence was running at more than 6 per cent in primary schools and at about 8 per cent in post-primary schools.
More than 55,000 students miss school each day: 27,000 primary and 28,000 post-primary students. This is a loss of 12 school days per student per year in primary school and 13 school days in post-primary school.
About 11 per cent of primary school students and 17 per cent of post-primary students (approximately one in six) are absent for 20 days or more during the school year. This is more than 50,000 primary school students and more than 55,000 post-primary students.
The data also shows that reported expulsions are uncommon. Only 134 expulsions from school were recorded in 2005/2006 - 16 in primary schools and the remaining 118 in post-primary schools. About 5 per cent of post-primary students (more than 16,000) were suspended in 2005/2006 along with a quarter of 1 per cent of primary students (more than 1,000).
The rate of suspensions is 20 times higher in post-primary schools. Rates of non-attendance are 25 per cent higher in vocational schools than in secondary schools and rates of 20-day absences and expulsions are 50 per cent higher.
The reports shows there are strong links between poor attendance and educational disadvantage. Primary schools with high non-attendance rates are likely to have a large proportion of students living in local authority accommodation, in lone-parent families, or in families where the main earner is unemployed.
At post-primary level, non-attendance is strongly linked to socio-economic disadvantage, with high dropout rates in the junior and senior cycle and poorer performance in the Junior Certificate examination.
Commenting on the report, chief executive officer of the board Eddie Ward said: "School absenteeism is currently at unacceptably high levels.
"Combating the issues underlying poor attendance requires concerted action and further integration of existing school support services and other stakeholders involved with children, young people and their families."
President of the Teachers' Union of Ireland Don Ryan said the report sent a clear message that schools needed stronger capacity to deal with the problem. Yet the withdrawal of grant aid for essential programmes in the budget would diminish capacity in schools to support those most at risk.
ASTI general secretary John White said the report followed a budget that would cut many of the supports in place for children and young people at risk of absenteeism and dropping out.
