Beggs Questions Education Ministers Support For Officers Tackling Low Attendance

Ulster Unionist politician Roy Beggs MLA has questioned the Education Minister on the pressing need for Education Welfare Officers to have access to the computerised C2K attendance records, in order to better monitor pupil attendance rates in real time and to allow them to work more proactively.

East Antrim MLA Roy Beggs said “Educational attendance is extremely important, and clearly links to a young person’s personal and academic development.  Why has the Minister, after over 3 years in office, not fully recognised the importance of the Education and Welfare Service in assisting to improve attendance?  Why as of yet have Education Welfare Officers not been given the appropriate tools to do their jobs, by providing them with access to the C2K systems at their offices.”

At present, Education Welfare Officers only have access to schools C2K information on attendance when they are in each school on a site visit.

“School attendance is linked to attainment.  It is crucial that our young people attend school from a young age, and so early intervention, via the work of Education Welfare Officers, is vital.  Research also indicates that working class Protestant communities are worst affected by low attendance, resulting in lower educational attainment and higher levels of young people Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEETs).”

Ends

AQW   34278/11-15 Mr Roy Beggs
(UUP – East Antrim)
To ask the Minister of Education, pursuant to     AQW 32495/11-15, when Education Welfare Officers will be able to access C2K     attendance records from their own offices in order to have access to live     attendance records.
 Hide     answer
C2k has actively been pursuing giving Education     Welfare Officers (EWOs) access to pupil information, which is currently     based on schools C2k servers.This is a complex area as EWOs require access     to multiple servers in schools and C2k must be sure that the best way to do     this is identified and that no security risks are taken.

Schools are being transformed to the new     services at present and new network services are part of this, so it is     important that EWO access is based on the new services. Transformation of     all schools to the new services is scheduled to be completed by September     2014 and the Department has been informed that a pilot can only be taken     forward after transformation is complete.

C2k propose to conduct the pilot from September     2014 to December 2014.

 

 

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