Education (Welfare) Act, 2000 FAQ

Introduction

The Education (Welfare) Act, 2000 replaces the School Attendance Act, 1926. The main aim of the Act is to promote and improve school attendance rates for children at primary and post-primary level education.

What are the functions of the National Education Welfare Board (NEWB)?

The Act establishes the NEWB. The NEWB is the body responsible for implementing the provisions of the Act and is responsible for:

• Ensuring that every child attends a recognised school or otherwise receives an appropriate education (Sec 10).
• Assisting the Government in developing and implementing education policies and conducting related research and promotional activities that will support the development and implementation of education policies (Sec 10).
• Appointing Education Welfare Officers (EWOs) to promote regular school attendance and to reduce absenteeism and early school leaving (Sec 11).
• Maintaining a register of children receiving education in a place other than a school and assessing the education received to ensure it is adequate (Sec 14).

What are parents’ obligations under the Education (Welfare) Act?

• Parents are obliged to send their children to a recognised school or otherwise ensure that they are receiving an appropriate minimum education (Sec 17).
• If a child has been absent from school parents are to inform the principal of the school of the reasons for that absence (Sec 18).
• If parents decide to educate their child in a place other than a recognised school they have to apply to the National Education Welfare Board to have the child registered (Sec 14).

What does the Education (Welfare) Act say about keeping a school register?

The school principal is required to:

• Maintain a register of all students attending the school (Sec 20).
• Maintain a daily record of attendance for each student attending the school, including the reasons for non-attendance (Sec 21).

Under what circumstances is the principal required to inform an Education Welfare Officer (EWO) that a child has not attended school?

Under Section 21, the principal is required to notify an EWO in writing if:

A student is suspended for a period of not less than 6 days.

• A student is absent for a total of more than 20 days in any one school year.
• The student’s name is removed from the school register by the principal.
• In the opinion of the principal, a student is not attending school regularly.

In the circumstances listed above, the principal has no choice and must notify the EWO. In the case of reported absences from school, it is up to the EWO to decide whether or not the absence is legitimate.

What role does the school have in improving school attendance?

Under Section 22, the Board of Management of a school, after consulting with the principal, teachers, parents and the Education Welfare Officer, is required to submit to the National Education Welfare Board a statement of the strategies and measures it will adopt to encourage regular attendance. Statements of strategy have to provide for:

• Rewarding students with good attendance records.
• Identifying ‘at risk’ students.
• Developing links between the school and the families of ‘at risk’ students.
• Developing links with other schools and related youth organisations and developing programmes of activities with these bodies.
• Co-ordinating programmes with other schools aimed at promoting attendance and good behaviour.
  
• Identifying and removing obstacles to good attendance.