During a Stormont debate on child poverty, Ulster Unionist MLA Roy Beggs Jnr has highlighted the issue of truancy as being a major factor in causing lack of educational achievement and perpetuating a generational circle of deprivation.

The East Antrim representative said;

“A statistic from the former Department for Children, Schools and Families shows that 8% of truants can expect to get five GCSEs or more. What are we doing to address truancy and the high levels of absenteeism? If someone does not regularly attend school, they will fall obviously behind and will be less likely to reach their full attainment, get qualified and get a job. If they do not attend school regularly, they are less likely to attend a workplace regularly and less likely to be employed. They are more likely to end up NEET (“not in employment, education and training”). The very sad thing is that 40% of those who are currently categorised as NEET will be parents within 10 years and the cycle will continue to another generation. We really must think carefully about how we can break the cycle.”

Mr Beggs referred to answers to question placed to the Minister for Education which showed that average absenteeism in Northern Ireland primary schools is 55 per 1,000 with less than 85% attendance.

He continued,

 “When you look at the disadvantaged areas, what do you find? In the Antiville ward in my constituency, the figure is 115 per 1,000. In the Blackcave ward in Larne, it is 94 per 1,000. The figures for the two most disadvantaged wards in Carrickfergus are, I think, 136 per 1,000 and 163 per 1,000… Almost 20% of kids are not at school regularly. Let us address that issue effectively. That is why Departments need to co-operate…. It is about early intervention, family support programmes and Sure Start.”