Tracey Martin MP
Spokesperson for Education

31 July 2013

Schools Waiting Weeks for Action on Truancy

New Zealand First says small towns are feeling the pressure from the Government’s refusal to properly fund truancy services, with many schools reporting long delays to get action on truancy.

Education spokesperson Tracey Martin says while the recent Resource Teacher: Learning and Behaviour (RTLB) Truancy Survey was inconclusive about the new Integrated Attendance Service, there is overwhelming evidence on the ground that it is not working.

“Truancy workers in the provinces now cover vast areas and are stretched to respond to cases when a student hasn’t turned up to school.

“In the past, truancy calls were responded to almost immediately by truancy workers from the local community.

“Now it can take five to six days for action, but at least one school has reported that it waited three weeks to get an attendance worker into the community to investigate an absent student.

“Changes to truancy funding are another example of the Government coming up with a cost-cutting service involving large, centralised contracts at the expense of students”, says Ms Martin.

ENDS

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