Overall, more than three-quarters of school leaders who responded reported school engagement worsened during the closures period.
Reduced student engagement across the whole school was reported by 70 per cent of schools.
Further analysis indicates that overall attendance and engagement appears to be influenced by the educational level of parents.
The association between parental education and student engagement was stronger for Junior Cert students but was not statistically evidenced for Leaving Cert students.
Many third-year students who recognised early on that the Junior Cert exams were likely to be cancelled disengaged from learning âin part or in fullâ as a result.