The Post Primary Teachers Association says extending paid parental leave would be the most fundamental investment the Government could make to ensure a child's success at school.
A parliamentary select committee is considering a bill to lengthen the time parents are eligible for paid parental leave, from 14 to 26 weeks.
PPTA president Angela Roberts told MPs on Wednesday that to ensure a child's five star success in education, teachers needed resilient, healthy children with strong bonds to their parents.
She said that was why extending paid parental leave was so important.
