THE halving of the truancy rates for Southampton is a cause for celebration.
Yet, as this paper reports today, the city still sits in the bottom 20 conurbations for truancy in the nation.
Why the problem of persuading students and their parents that attending lessons is vital to their futures continues to tax those in authority is a question those seeking to solve this problem must ask themselves continually.
On a national level the improving truancy rates are attributed to the former Education Secretary Michael Gove’s initiative to ban parents from removing children from school for holidays and family occasions. Yet has this really had any impact on the situation, or is it the overall threat of draconian repercussions that have led to improved results?
We should rejoice in the fact more pupils are now attending class, but ponder why Southampton remains wed to the bottom of the truancy league.
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