Children missing school as parents find cheap hols [Herald]
- Published: 14 May 2009
Source: Herald
WARNING: Absent pupils face being expelled
By Geraldine Gittens
Thursday May 14 2009
Parents should not take their children out of school early this summer so as to take advantage of cheaper summer holidays, educational experts have warned.
During the economic doom and gloom parents will be in search of cheap and cheerful holidays, but authorities warn that children will lose out on a valuable education during their absence.
Michael Doyle, Leinster North regional manager for the National Education Welfare Board (NEWB), said: "We would encourage parents not to take their kids out early for their summer holidays, because the school year is long enough, and they should be able to organise their time so that their children don't miss any school."
John Curran, spokesperson for the Irish Primary Principals Network, said: "The standard view that most principals take is that taking children out of school time is taking them away from valuable time, and they shouldn't be taken out early."
However, he said the Department of Education should redesign the system so that not everyone finishes the school-year at the same time.
"The fact that all the schools open and close on the one day is the problem. Travel companies bump up their prices once school finishes, and parents are then under pressure."
He added: "The problem is a local one. In the past schools in a local area closed on different days and children from the one family were attending different schools.
"There's no reason for schools to open and close on the same day, but the order to co-ordinate schools nationally comes from the Department of Education."
Meanwhile, Mr Doyle added: "If we receive complaints from principals where absences are explained, we don't follow it up.
"But for unexplained absences of over 20 days, we contact the parents.
"If the children are normally very good attenders and they're out of school then we don't pursue it any further."
Since the commencement of the Act (Education Welfare Act, 2000), schools are required to record and monitor attendances and to report absences to the Educational Welfare Officer (EWO), in particular circumstances such as where a child is absent for 20 days or more and where a child is expelled or suspended for six days.
hnews@herald.ie
- Geraldine Gittens
