100,000 children miss more than 20 days of school

More than 100,000 children are missing at least 20 days of school each year, according to the latest statistics from the National Education and Welfare Board (NEWB).

The NEWB says these absenteeism levels, based on figures from the years between 2003 and 2006, are unacceptably high.

The problem is bigger in secondary schools, where one-tenth of pupils miss more than 20 days each year.

Every day, around 55,000 children countrywide are absent from school.