Almost one in six parents take their children out of school for holidays during term time, with nearly half of these citing cheaper holidays or fares as a reason for doing so, a study published yesterday has shown.
The research, conducted by Mori Ireland for the National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB) in December 2005, also reveals that most members of the public regard not missing school days at secondary level as more important than not missing days at primary level.
Most respondents cited the fact that their parents are "not bothered" (52 per cent) as the major reason for children missing a lot of school. Illness (30 per cent) and the fact that children themselves are not interested in school or lazy (19 per cent) also featured.
Interestingly, 13 per cent said it was because children are bullied or have no friends, 11 per cent said it was due to issues such as problems at home or drug abuse and 8 per cent said it was due to problems with their teachers.
The survey of 1,000 adults asked 325 parents of schoolchildren more specific questions about whether they take their children on holiday during term time, with 16 per cent saying they did so. The main reason for taking children out of school indicated by this smaller subgroup was cheaper holidays or fares (46 per cent). Other reasons provided were "it suits the family" (29 per cent), it is the "only time parent can get off," (17 per cent), and "school not that important" (12 per cent). The report does not address the length of the holidays in question.
The majority of parents (84 per cent) said they do not take their children out of school for holidays during term time.The reasons provided include the effect this would have on their child's education (35 per cent) and the fact that they go during school holidays (18 per cent).
Only one in 10 of all those surveyed believed that any time missed from primary or secondary school would impact on schoolwork. However, the survey also shows that 82 per cent believe missing more than 20 days at post-primary school has a negative impact on a child's school work.
The latter is the threshold beyond which schools must report absences to NEWB. However, The Irish Times understands that due to a shortfall in staffing and resources, in practice students in some schools can be absent for up to 60 days or more before the NEWB intervenes.
The Irish Travel Agents' Association is to hold talks with the NEWB next month to discuss how the association's members might address parents taking children on holidays during school term. Only 2.5 per cent of parents surveyed said their child would not go willingly to school in the mornings.
However, most people were unaware of the work of the NEWB, with 42 per cent of parents and 30 per cent of the public saying they had heard of the board.
Donald Herron, principal of St John Bosco Senior Boys National School on Dublin's Navan Road, said the onus is increasingly on schools to police school attendance.
While attendance is not a serious issue for the school, it had some 11 pupils absent last year for over 30 days. "Since the NEWB was established I have had one phone call from our designated welfare officer, and never a visit," he said. "When we had a school attendance officer [ under the old system] he was in almost every week."
John Carr, general secretary of the Irish National Teachers' Organisation said the survey was an "accurate reflection". "Most children will miss a few days of school for sickness. Add 10 or 15 days taken as holidays to that, and they will miss a tenth of the school year," he said.