Tough stance needed for parents of truants

new-zealand-national-party

Wed Mar 07 2007 13:00:00 GMT+1300 (New Zealand Daylight Time)

Tough stance needed for parents of truants

Wednesday, 7 March 2007, 1:40 pm
Press Release: New Zealand National Party

Katherine Rich MP
National Party Education Spokeswoman

7 March 2007

The rise in truancy under the Labour Government is a disgrace, says National Party Education spokeswoman Katherine Rich. The Christchurch Press today reported truancy rates among secondary school students have jumped 16 percent in the past two years, with 45,000 students playing truant during a single week last year.

"These figures show that in one given week, 20% of all secondary students in New Zealand were absent without justification. This is a disgrace.

"There has to be a multi-pronged approach to dealing with the issue. "One option is for the Government to push for more truancy prosecutions.

"Studies show that truants are more likely to be violent later in life, at risk of crime, substance abuse and unemployment proving just how urgently we need to deal with this issue.

"No Government programme will work in isolation. Parents need to play a greater part in combating truancy.

"I understand how difficult it is getting some of these kids into school but the issue must come back to parental responsibility.

"If there is no effort, and a parent continually ignores their parental responsibility to get their children to school, then they should be prosecuted so a strong message is sent to that family and the rest of the community.

"Truancy officers do a tough job, and to succeed they need to be supported and given more options to get kids back to school. "There are other tools in the truancy toolbox that should also be considered by Government, including, as a last resort, docking Work and Income payments for those parents who make no effort whatsoever."

ENDS

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