Principals will lack support over school truants

SCHOOL principals who report truants will have no back up this September because the welfare officers needed to follow up on extended absences have not yet been recruited or trained.

The new Education Welfare Act, which has now become law, obliges school heads to report aggregate absences of more than 20 days to the Education Welfare Board.

These cases should be followed up by new education welfare officers. But none of the officers are expected to be in place by September, principals say. The Department of Education and Science said the existing 36 truancy officers working within the system at present will be transferred.

But because the system would be an entirely new one, it was not in a position to confirm how many staff would be required or when the full system will be up and running.

Principals say it could take up to a year for all of the necessary staff to be recruited, briefed and trained. Welfare officers are the vital link in following up on absenteeism and spurring those who have already left the system to come back to education, albeit part-time.

Principals say while the whole plan can not kick-start into full operation immediately, it is not likely much will be achieved this coming school year.

National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals President Ger Looney said it is not likely schools will achieve much more than a written code to spur retentions for the coming school year.

In the meantime, up to 1,000 more children will leave the system without a qualification.

“The whole system rests on the appointment of welfare officers. They will have to be properly briefed and trained. They will be the ones who follow up on our reports and liaise with families,” Mr Looney said.

Under the Education Welfare Act, a parent must always provide a principal with a reason for a child’s absence.

If the board believes that a parent is failing or neglecting to ensure that their child attends a recognised school in accordance with the Act, it may serve a school attendance notice requiring the parent to send their child to school within a specified time limit.

Any parent who contravenes a requirement in a school attendance notice can be fined up to 635 or be imprisoned for up to a month.