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An analysis of the latest Student Absence Report reveals a surge in chronic absenteeism and persistent gaps in attendance, prompting new interventions across primary and post‑primary schools.
The newest Student Absence Report, compiled by the Tusla Education Support Service and released on Thursday, paints a stark picture of ongoing challenges in school attendance across Ireland.
Chronic Absence Figures Surge
In the 2024/25 academic year, the country saw a jump of more than eight thousand pupils who missed more than twenty days of school, classifying them as chronically absent. The total number of such pupils reached 75,649, up from 67,612 the previous year, underscoring a worrying rise in sustained absenteeism. While overall attendance rates exhibited a marginal improvement, the figures for days lost by students remain alarmingly high.
At the primary level, 6.16 million school days were lost, representing 7.3 percent of all possible school days, slightly down from the 8 percent lost in 2023/24. In contrast, post‑primary education witnessed an increase, with 6.26 million days lost - 10.7 percent of the possible 58.4 million days - a rise of 230,000 days.
Analysts note that much of this uptick can be attributed to an 8,000‑pupil increase in the post‑primary student population, yet the underlying causes of absenteeism suggest more systemic issues. The report further highlights that chronic absenteeism has not abated. In primary schools, the percentage of students missing more than twenty days fell from 22.1 percent in 2023/24 to 19 percent in 2024/25, a modest decline.
Persistent Absenteeism Remains High
Still, over one in five students continue to miss a month or more of school each year. Post‑primary schools show a similar trend, with 10.7 percent of students absent for longer than twenty days, a figure that remains well above pre‑pandemic levels. Historical data from 2019 show that prior to the pandemic, primary and post‑primary absences hovered around 16,500 and 15,700 respectively; the peak occurred in 2021, with 140,840 primary and 53,082 post‑primary absences.
In the current report, primary absences sum to 76,786 and post‑primary to 44,943. Áine O'Keeffe, National Service Director for TESS, commented that the continuing high rates of absenteeism pose a significant threat to learning outcomes.
'One in five students missing a month or more each year is not only a personal setback but also a systemic problem for educators, parents, and policy makers. We see clear evidence that regular attendance underpins learning, wellbeing, social development and a sense of belonging,' she said. In response to these findings, TESS and the Department of Education have rolled out a range of initiatives aimed at uplifting attendance.
Initiatives To Improve Attendance
A key component is "Anseo", an evidence‑based framework implemented in 213 schools nationwide. Anseo seeks to identify patterns of absenteeism at the student, class and school levels, allowing for targeted interventions. Complementing this is a national multimedia campaign that highlights the importance of consistent school presence, leveraging short videos, testimonials, and social media outreach to reach students and families.
Beyond these initiatives, TESS is focusing on data collection and analysis to inform policy decisions, with a goal of reducing chronic absenteeism to pre‑pandemic levels within a five‑year horizon. All stakeholders are urged to collaborate, recognising that improving attendance is not merely a matter of checking daily attendance sheets but a comprehensive effort that includes mental health support, community engagement and flexible learning solutions.
The current report underscores that while there has been marginal progress, the urgent need for sustained and coordinated action remains clear. Stakeholders are called upon to prioritise attendance as a cornerstone of educational success, ensuring that every child has the opportunity to benefit fully from Ireland's robust school system.
Irish Education School Attendance Chronic Absenteeism Anseo Framework Student Wellbeing
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