Truancy a growing issue – ETB hears

Students missing from classrooms regularly during school term is a growing challenge, especially since the Covid pandemic lifted, a meeting of Cavan-Monaghan ETB has heard.

The issue is set to become a “major focus” in years to come predicts ETB Director of Schools Paddy Flood, when addressing board members at a meeting in Coláiste Dún an Rí in Kingsourt recently.

His strong held belief is that a young person should attend school in person “each day”, but Mr Flood said he understood that there are a litany of competing pressures, with lure of work and wages of as much as €150 per day on offer should they choose to bunk off.

There were, he admitted, a higher number now than ever before of students aged 19 to 20 years attending the latter end of secondary school.

Mr Flood was supported in his concerns by board member, Fianna Fáil councillor Áine Smith.

The local secondary teacher said that school attendance was indeed “one of the biggest issues” facing schools at present, and she said the “responsibility” of ensuring a child turns up at the gates needs to be put squarely in the hands of the parent.

She acknowledged that the world has moved on drastically from the scenarios presented to young people as recently as 20 years ago, addressing too how a more latent development is seeing students often take two weeks off to “go on holidays” before sitting their State Examinations.

“They’re getting great wages, can buy a car,” said Cllr Smith, adding her annoyance that these students, once registered, can return to a school and sit their tests once exam time rolls round.

“It shouldn’t be allowed,” she continued, arguing that sometimes the results can skew the overall average for the school.

“The grades are not reflective,” Cllr Smith added.

Home schooling could be justified, she continued, though stating that liaison officers bridge an important gap between the student, family and school. Even then, the provision of liaison offers is sporadic throughout the country.

Joe McGrath said that he’d heard anecdotal evidence of classes at only 50 per cent capacity, and worse among first and second years.

“We really need to look at this,” said Mr McGrath, while Colm McCormack backed Cllr Smith’s comments regarding exam time.

Mr Flood agreed, and understood the frustration expressed by members regarding kids who are absent turning up at exam time.

He said discussions have been had, and that it would indeed make a “big difference” if every school had a home liaison officer.

The duty of care, Mr Flood said, would always be directed towards “the younger more vulnerable not attending”, while acknowledging a greater prevalence of diagnosed issues such as anxiety, not to mention addiction issues to do with drugs and alcohol.

He concluded that absenteeism used to be seen through the prism of “socio-economic” difficulties, but this is “not the case any more”.

“It’s across the board,” he said highlighting the contents of an attitudinal survey, which reflects drastically different than generations before.

School, Mr Flood opined, is a “positive” place for a young person to be, with greater emphasis on the holistic side of education provision than ever.

“Students should be expected to be in school. Having kids in front of teachers, that’s our core business.”