Teacher absenteeism needs to improved

Interesting to see an article in the Irish Examiner about parents having legal action taken against them due to their children’s absenteeism from school.

What’s interesting is that while you quote a 5.4% rate of absence in primary schools and 7.5% in post primary, you failed to mention that the rate of absenteeism for teachers is 6.5% and 5.9% respectively.

If parents are getting jailed for ‘educational neglect’ what absolves the teachers when their ‘sick days’ are the same as the children’s?

Incidentally, absenteeism in the Department of Education has stood at 10.41%

Gerard Burke

Maryborough Hill

Cork