Muireann DuffyThe number of primary school children who missed a significant amount of school increased substantially in the space of a year, new research has found. The research found that during the 2021/2022 school year, 40.3 per cent of primary school children were absent for more than 20 days. The figure is up substantially on the rate noted in the 2020/2021 academic year, when 12.1 per cent of primary school students were absent for more than 20 days. The number also increased at post-primary level, rising from 12 per cent in 2020/2021 to 26.8 per cent in 2021/2022. There were nine deaths by suicide among children aged 10-17, a reduction from 13 in 2020.

Source: The Herald January 25, 2024 13:04 UTC