The government is implementing a series of measures to address growing concerns about student attendance rates, with a new pilot program set to launch in 60 schools nationwide.
Education Minister Helen McEntee described current absenteeism figures as “really alarming” and indicated she is “determined” to tackle what has become a troubling post-pandemic trend affecting schools across the country.
At the heart of the government’s strategy is the “Anseo” framework, an evidence-based system that will help schools better analyze attendance data and develop targeted responses. The pilot will provide schools with tools to track and address patterns of absence more effectively.
The Department of Education revealed that more than 110,000 primary and 65,000 post-primary students missed 20 or more school days during the 2022/2023 academic year. This decline in regular attendance has been observed across all age groups, starting from Junior Infants.
Minister McEntee noted that while illness remains the primary reason for absences in primary schools—possibly reflecting heightened caution among parents following the pandemic—”unexplained” absences are most common at post-primary level.
Additional initiatives planned include a national multimedia campaign launching in September 2025 to promote the importance of regular attendance, continued investment in the Educational Welfare Service with expanded officer capacity, and a national Attendance Conference scheduled for early 2026 to share best practices.
The government aims to collect more comprehensive data about absences, including “real-time information” on a daily basis, to better understand and reverse the concerning trend.