Absentee teachers should get the sack

EDUCATION Minister Batt O’Keeffe recently exposed chronic absenteeism in the teaching profession.

He stated: “Departmental figures showed up to 12,500 days in uncertified sick leave were lost and taken because Monday morning was a problem for significant number.”

This resulted in the taxpayer footing the bill for substitutes to the tune of €80 million annually.

It is far from ideal that regular teachers be absent, leaving the substitute struggling to know the precise position of study in the run of things.

The teaching profession is one of the most militant in the country. It regularly demands public sector pay rises, performance-related pay, class sizes reductions and fees, to name a few.

However, it appears that many teachers have a loose attitude to their work and play a totally different game regarding sick leave.

Chronically absent teachers should be give the boot not alone to save the taxpayer, but also to spare pupils a piecemeal education.

Maurice Fitzgerald

Shanbally

Ringaskiddy

Co Cork