Just two-thirds or 61 per cent of primary schools and 68 per cent of secondary schools, have made school attendance returns since a new reporting system was introduced by the National Educational Welfare Board last month.
Figures released by the board yesterday reveal that 1,960 out of 3,200 primary schools and 508 out of 746 secondary schools made returns documenting attendance from the start of the school year to Christmas.
School principals are required to file the returns when students have been absent for 20 days or more or where they have concerns about school attendance.
In a statement, the National Educational Welfare Board emphasised that it could only provide adequate support to schools, parents and children based upon "tangible and timely data on individual students".
Its chief executive Eddie Ward has urged all schools to report absences of more than 20 days, expulsions or cases where there was concern about a child's educational welfare.
The Irish National Teachers' Organisation, however, has pointed out that in many cases schools have nothing to report.
"The reports only apply to schools where children are absent for 20 days or more or where there are concerns about school attendance," it said. "Schools that do not have children in these categories do not have to report anything."
Mr Ward last night emphasised the importance of raising awareness about the need to make attendance returns.
"The number of responses from schools has been very encouraging to date . . . we are very, very pleased so far."
A series of nationwide meetings has been organised by the welfare board in conjunction with the INTO and school management boards to allow national school principals to discuss the guidelines on the reporting of school absences.
The third of these took place in Athlone last night and was attended by Minister of State for Children Brian Lenihan.