TRUANCY FIGURES

Commenting on the Government’s absenteeism figures Steve Sinnott, General Secretary of the National Union of Teachers, Europe’s largest teaching union said:

 “There is no magic solution to cracking the hard core of truants; the figure however has remained relatively constant.

“Overcoming truancy is a difficult and demanding task requiring teachers and parents to work together. But there are factors, such as multiple deprivation, which influence truanting and must be tackled. This needs all children’s services, not just schools, cooperating to resolve this problem.

“Parents need to live up to their responsibility to ensure their children attend school. They must not take their children out of school for holidays or shopping expeditions. 

“Truanting children are on the streets and at risk. Society must recognise its role in overcoming unauthorised absence. 

“Children’s life chances are damaged by persistently not attending school. The Government’s investment in support to schools and the co-operation of parents is paying off but we cannot be complacent”.