Ministers dismissed opposition criticism yesterday after figures showed that 50,000 children still play truant every day.

Over the course of the last academic year, there were 0.43 per cent of half days missed through unauthorised absences in primary classes, down from 0.45 per cent in the year 2001/02.

In secondary schools, the number of half-days missed were higher at 1.08 per cent, but this was still lower than the previous year, when the proportion stood at 1.09 per cent.