Tired Labor out of ideas on absenteeism

When it comes to tackling the State’s spiraling school absenteeism rate, all we get from the Labor Government are the same tired, old excuses.

These are the same excuses that we’ve been hearing for a number of years now and the figures are getting worse.

The Premier needs to start getting serious about the number of students who simply don’t turn up to school, find out why, and work with teachers, parents and their community to turn that around.

We need a targeted approach to tackling absenteeism.

A School Absenteeism Taskforce, involving all public and private education providers, Children and Family Services, the Commissioner for Children, and Centrelink, would bring together the best ideas to tackle absenteeism head on.

Unless we give communities more say in the running of their schools so that they gain some community ownership and pride in what their schools achieve, including the number of kids who turn up, we are not going to get anywhere.

Our retention and qualification rates will not improve given the number of kids who simply aren’t turning up to school in the first place.

It is quite clear from my consultation with staff from campuses within the Tasmania Tomorrow system that the biggest problems are with kids who haven’t come to school for years.

David Bartlett needs to treat the problem of absenteeism as a serious indicator that our schools are struggling to keep students engaged and this is especially evident in our high schools.

Re-engaging school communities is part of the answer.
Sue Napier MP Shadow Minister for Education