ONE FIFTH OF GALWAY STUDENTS MISS MORE THAN 20 SCHOOL DAYS

Date Published: 07-Jun-2012

One-fifth of secondary school students in Galway are missing for more than 20 days during the school year. That's according to figures published today by the National Education Welfare Board, who monitor school attendance on behalf of the Department of Education.The figures published today by the National Education Welfare Board show that almost 21% of Galway second-level students are absent from school for more than 20 days in a school year. Galway secondary school students are out of school for an average of nine and half days of school per academic year.Primary school children across Galway are less likely to miss school, with today's figures showing that the average school absence for younger children is 6 days in the year.That said, eleven per cent of primary school children are missing more than twenty days schooling per year in the Galway area. Schools are obliged to report to the National Educational Welfare Board if a student is missing days for 20 days or more. The NEWB will follow this up, if the absence is unexplained, and may contact parents to encourage improved attendance. Nationally, today's figures show that 56 thousand students are absent from school on any given day during the year, which marks a slight improvement.