Part-time jobs, part time study

Wan faces on Monday mornings. Dark shadows under the eyes coupled with an irresistible urge to close the lids over those aching orbs. Sounds familiar? No, it's not the office after a weekend of socialising but the classroom where students languish, grappling with the after-effects of late night and weekend work.

Lack of sleep leaves them ill-equipped to deal with the intricacies of calculus or the conjugation of verbs. In fact, some of them use school time to catch up a little lost shut-eye. The ASTI says that part-time work, apart from causing students to fall asleep during the day, can have an effect on their ability to do homework.

The principals of eight schools in Bray and Greystones, Co Wicklow, recently issued a statement noting concern at the number of students doing large amounts of part-time work, especially during Leaving Cert and Junior Cert years. "We stress the clear and proven benefits of good performance in these exams," they said. "However, many students are not in a position to resist the rewards of part-time work."

The principals further asked employers in Bray to note the provisions of the Protection of Young Persons (Employment) Act, 1996 and to "severely limit the amount of work given to students in examination years, especially during the second and third terms." They also expressed their serious concern at the number of students, who, together with their families, are taking cut-price holidays during term time.

One of the principals, Michael Sheridan, of St Killian's Community School, Bray, says "students are getting wealthy and more independent. A few are even driving cars to school. They juggle their homework, cut corners and cut ambitions."

The current labour shortage means that part-time work is readily available and better paid than in the past. Of course, students who take a balanced approach can combine some work successfully with school.

But, the evidence suggests that there is a link between part-time work and absenteeism and between absenteeism and school drop-out. John White, public relations officer for the National Parents Council (Post-Primary), believes "students shouldn't be working unless they need to - for the betterment of their education, for items such as fees, books, and school trips."

A recent survey by the Association of Principals of Vocational and Community Colleges found that a high percentage of those frequently absent from school were engaged in after-school work. The interim report, which analyses 916 responses from 22 schools, found 162 respondents missed school once a fortnight or more. As well as these consistent absentees, there were other occasional absentees.

Some 18 per cent of students were classified as "at risk." These students have "lower than average academic expectations, find themselves low down in class and seem to think they can get away with absenteeism from school and from their parents. They smoke and drink above the average and feel they must work to meet their requirements."

When they are absent, 27.3 per cent give work as a reason for absence. This group needs study and attention as these become the early school-leavers and low achievers in the workplace, concludes the report.

HE TUI is concerned about the link between working, absenteeism and school drop-out, according to its education officer, Billy Fitzpatrick. It wants the provisions of the 1996 Act enforced.

A motion tabled by 10 ASTI branches urging the Government to "put a stop to the widespread abuse of the law pertaining to child labour in Ireland" will come before the union's delegates at their Easter conference.

Responsibility for the enforcement of the Act lies with the Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment. The Department's inspectors have powers to go into places of work, question employers and employees and examine records.

There are 11 inspectors (two job-sharing) in the Labour Inspectorate and they have "an enforcement function" with regard to nine Acts or regulations including the Protection of Young Persons (Employment) Act 1996. In answer to a recent parliamentary question, the Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Tom Kitt, stated that the inspectors generally operate within normal office hours.

Three factors drive labour law enforcement - complaints and allegations against individual employers or sectors of employment by unions or aggrieved employees; random or spot-check investigations; and officially-determined policy with respect to enforcement.

In all, 1,022 inspections were carried out under the worker protection legislation in the period January to October 1998 with five per cent of these generated by complaints received.

Individual sectors are targeted from time to time - this year, the catering sector will be subjected to "a prolonged period of intensified investigation/enforcement activity" by the labour inspectorate.

As regards the statistical likelihood of any particular firm being inspected, Kitt said overall policy is aimed at ensuring that an inspection of each employer featured on the department's register of employment takes place about once every three years.