21 August 2015

Shiny new system leads to record truancy

Record high truancy rates shows the Government’s much-vaunted new attendance system is an abysmal failure, Labour’s Education spokesperson Chris Hipkins says.

“Data released today shows truancy rates have spiked more than 15 per cent in 2014 and are now at record levels.

“Students were absent for almost 10 per cent of all class time last year.

“It also shows one in every 78 students regularly bunked school in 2014 – that’s 30 per cent more than the previous year.

“National claimed its national attendance system would keep more kids in school but in fact the opposite is happening.

“Attending school every day is crucial for student’s educational outcomes and to keep them out of trouble.

“Our kids can only get the best education if they turn up to school. Attending class daily is part of teaching the basic responsibilities required in the workforce and the real world.

“Hekia Parata must take urgent action to improve these sorry truancy rates,” Chris Hipkins says.

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