Truancy Prosecution for Kuranui Student

Media Release
11 September 2012

Truancy Prosecution for Kuranui Student

The parents of a student at Kuranui College are to be prosecuted under Section 19 of the Education Act 1989 for failing to ensure that their child attends school. There have been significant non-attendance issues with the student for two and a half years, despite considerable efforts to address the situation.

Their case was referred to the Rock On programme (Reduce Our Community Kids Offending Now), a comprehensive inter-agency truancy programme which includes a Guidance Counsellor, Truancy Services, Child Youth and Family (CYF), a Youth Police Aid Officer and any other agency the college deems necessary. Even with the support of this programme, the student has continued to be absent from school, and prosecution of the parents is the only course of action left for the college.

“This is not an action which the college has taken lightly and everybody involved is extremely disappointed that this has become necessary,” explained Kuranui College Principal Geoff Shepherd. “However, Kuranui is bound to carry out this prosecution by the Education Act, we are obliged to take steps to prosecute when all other steps have been exhausted and this course of action has been approved by the Ministry of Education.

“Kuranui has followed a highly-prescriptive wrap-around process and our aim is always to support the student and the parents every step of the way. This has been a two and half year journey, but with no improvement in this student’s attendance, prosecution has become necessary.

“Teachers and agencies have worked hard to ensure that this student receives an education at Kuranui and there has been a process of clear communication, face to face meetings and family group conferences to try to resolve this matter. Ultimately our responsibility is to ensure that every Kuranui student receives the preparation they need for later life and we make no apologies for taking that responsibility seriously.”

-ends-

© Scoop Media