Enniskillen primaries have worst truancy

Chris Donegan • Published 19 Aug 2010 16:00 0 Comments

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It’s back to school in a couple of weeks but not for the alarming number of pupils who stay at home or play truant.

Children in parts of Fermanagh have some of the worst school attendance records in Northern Ireland.

Local Ulster Unionist MLA Tom Elliott says levels of absenteeism in the county are reaching “crisis point” and more must be done to tackle the problem.

Primary school pupils in Enniskillen have among the worst attendance records in Northern Ireland. Only in Coalisland is the situation worse.

Mr. Elliott has described the situation in Fermanagh District Council’s Devenish Ward, which includes the large housing estates of Cornagrade and Kilmacormick, as “scandalous”.

Figures obtained from Education Minister Catriona Ruane are based on the number of pupils per thousand with attendance rates of less than 85 per cent and relate to the academic year from 2007 until 2008.

They show that in Fermanagh 36 out of every 1,000 primary school children failed to attend class at least 85 per cent of the time.

However, the situation varies dramatically across the county.

In the Devenish Ward that figure was 173, which was worse than many inner city areas in Derry and Belfast where the problem of absenteeism and truancy would be expected to be greater.

In Lisnaskea 113 pupils per thousand failed to achieve 85 per cent attendance.

The children most frequently marked present were from rural areas. Primary school children from Lisnarick didn’t miss a day while in Donagh, between Lisnaskea and Newtownbutler, and in Kesh, Ederney and Lack, less than 10 pupils per 1,000 failed to reach the 85 per cent attendance level.

When it comes to secondary schools the pupils from Devenish Ward again had the worst levels of absenteeism with 384 per 1,000 failing to achieve 85 per cent attendance.

They were followed by Newtownbutler with 195 per 1,000, Erne Ward in Enniskillen, which takes in Hillview, Drumbeg and Drumbawn, with 194, and Lisnaskea with 127.

The pupils with the best secondary school attendance records were from Lisnarick, Ballinamallard and Brookeborough.

The closer children get to school leaving age the poorer their attendance. Among 15 to 17-year-olds Devenish Ward was again worst with 384 pupils per 1,000 failing to get to school at least 85 per cent of the time. Erme Ward was next with 238 and Lisnaskea third with 233. Pupils from Ballinamallard and Donagh had the best attendance records.

Mr. Elliott said poor school attendance was something that to a great extent affects children’s life opportunities.

“When in Fermanagh’s Devenish ward we are seeing scandalous figures of almost 40 per cent of 15 to 17-year-old enrolled students attending less than 85 per cent of the time, something needs to be done as a matter of urgency,” he stated.

“Chronic absenteeism and school truancy have visible negative consequences for young people and ultimately for their employability as adults. Quite simply, if children are not in school, the odds that they will succeed are lessened,” he warned.

“We are talking about some 23 to 24 per cent of children in years 12 and above from Fermanagh’s Erne and Lisnaskea wards being off school at least 15 per cent of the time. That equates to being off school one week in every six,” Mr. Elliott explained.

“That problem isn’t just starting in secondary school either - 17 per cent of primary school children from the Devenish ward are also skipping school on a regular basis. That is over twice the highest average figure for all Northern Ireland’s council areas. These are children under 11 years of age - what hope do they have if the value of education is not instilled, encouraged and enforced early,” he asked.

Responsibility for ensuring parents fulfil their legal obligation to make sure their children go to school lies with the Western Education and Library Board’s Welfare Service.

A Board spokesman said it tried to achieve a balance between “enforcing school attendance” and helping parents get their children to school.

“Reasons for non school attendance are multiple and vary in their degree of complexity,” the spokesman explained. “Pupils may be absent because they dislike attending school, they are experiencing difficulties at home, they are having psychological difficulties or a parent is not fulfilling their duty to ensure that their children attend school regularly.”

When a pupil is reported for not attending school the Welfare Service assesses the situation and draws up a plan to deal with the problem.

“Successful outcomes require patience, understanding and a high level of co-operation from all of the parties involved with the child,” the spokesman explained.

When parents do not co-operate the Western Board may consider bringing legal proceedings against them at Fermanagh Magistrates Court. The present maximum fine for not sending a child to school is £1,000.

Alternatively when parents are co-operating but the child is still not attending school the Board may seek an Education Supervision Order which allows for a period of prolonged advice and support to families to begin to change a pattern of absenteeism.

The spokesman said that “given the small number of cases which progressed to the court stage during 2007-2008, we are unable to provide any details as this may indirectly identify individuals”.

Mr. Elliott believes it is time the Education Minister looked at her priorities.

“With figures like these painting a bleak picture for many communities across Northern Ireland, how can she still remain preoccupied with her Irish language and 11-plus crusade,” he asked. “Catriona Ruane talks about equality: well isn’t it time she gave the appropriate attention to areas of real need instead of narrow political agenda?

“There is no doubt that absenteeism is detrimental to students’ achievement, self-esteem, and employment potential. Given the clear links between areas of economic and social deprivation and children’s school attendance, and that our teenagers of today will be parents of tomorrow, if we want to increase the chance of employment and to minimize levels of child poverty in the future, then we must address the issues causing absenteeism,” he stated.

This article appeared in Impartial Reporter 19 Aug 10

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