New statistics reveal a massive number of unauthorised absences, due largely to pupils being taken on holiday during term time.
Last year there were more than 2.5 million half-day sessions missed in the North’s secondary sector. Of these absences, more than 811,000 were unauthorised.
Those categorised as unauthorised include taking time off due to the availability of cheap holiday deals. Others are said to skip school because poor weather affected their summer holidays.
Attendance and absence is measured for every pupil in half-day sessions – morning and afternoon – because schools take two roll calls each day.
In the 2014/15 academic year, 6.6 per cent of all half days were missed in post-primary schools – 4.5 per cent authorised absence and 2.1 per cent unauthorised.
Unauthorised absences fell from the previous year while there was a slight increase in overall and authorised absences.
Only absences in which permission has been granted by a school representative on provision of a satisfactory explanation can be considered as being authorised.
This applies to bereavement, illness medical appointments or religious observance.
The most common reason for absence in all schools was illness. It accounted for 52.9 per cent of all absent half-days in post-primary schools.
The North’s education minister John O’Dowd says a new attendance strategy is being finalised by his department and will be in place later this year.
He said: “This strategy will build upon the good practice already taking place in our schools and will bring together our existing policies to strengthen our determination to improve pupil attendance.
“A good practice guide will also be published that will draw upon examples of practices already in operation in schools that have raised attendance levels,” Mr O’Dowd added.