Latest news with #AssociateEducationMinister
RNZ News
29-05-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
Government ramping up truancy enforcement, parents condoning it could be prosecuted
"The previous government ceased to pursue prosecutions, I think that was a mistake," David Seymour says. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone Parents who repeatedly refuse to send their children to school are more likely to be prosecuted as the government cracks down on truancy. The Ministry of Education is now poised to take legal action against those parents, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. It is proactively contacting schools and truancy officers to ensure parents condoning truancy are referred to the Ministry to be considered for prosecution. The rules were not changing, but the government was ramping up enforcement because schools and truancy officers said it was needed, Seymour said. "There are some parents who just refuse to cooperate, don't care about their kids' futures, and the people working at the coalface have told me it would be helpful if they had another sanction that they could bring into play." They wanted a "coercive power" that would ensure parents took school attendance seriously, Seymour said. No parent had been prosecuted for refusing to ensure their kids attended school for more than five years, he said. "The previous government ceased to pursue prosecutions, I think that was a mistake," he said. "We're making it clear that the Ministry of Education is back in business and will respond to requests from schools to take prosecutions." When a parent is referred to the ministry for condoning truancy, staff would decide whether to prosecute, and it would then be a matter for the courts, he said. Parents faced fines of up to $300 for a first offence and $3000 for a second or subsequent offence. Seymour said 90,000 students were chronically absent. "We are not going to prosecute the parents of 90,000 students. This is an option for people working at the frontline ... if they have someone who is more of a 'won't' than a 'can't'." The ministry would not prosecute parents of students who were "genuinely engaging" with the school, or those who were absent because of chronic illness or health conditions associated with a disability.
RNZ News
14-05-2025
- Business
- RNZ News
Businesses shouldn't serve children in uniforms
education politics 43 minutes ago Businesses have a moral obligation and should do their bit and not serve school kids in school uniforms during school hours. The minister in charge of gettting absent kids back to class made the comments while anouncing a 140 million dollar funding boost over four years to help improve attendance. There will be a single attendance service in each region and schools with the highest numbers of chronically absent students will be able to apply for funding for in house services. Associate Education Minister David Seymour spoke to Lisa Owen.
RNZ News
13-05-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
Watch live: David Seymour announces $140 million school attendance service to tackle truancy
The government is allocating $140 million to tackle truancy with a new school attendance service. The funding boost is aimed at supporting more schools and reaching double the number of students over the next four years, according to Associate Education Minister David Seymour. He says the funds from this year's Budget included about $123 million for the delivery of a new attendance service and almost $17 million to support and strengthen front-line attendance services. "Front-line attendance services will be more accountable, better at effectively managing cases, and data driven in their responses. To achieve this, they will soon have access to a new case management system and better data monitoring, and their contracts will be more closely monitored," Seymour said. Associate Education Minister David Seymour says the new service will address chronic absence. Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi He said the new attendance service would address chronic absence and focus on keeping students in school when they return. "Service providers will work with families, local communities and social agencies to deliver comprehensive services. The level of service provided will depend on the need. It will range from advice and support to schools, to intensive case management of students. "Schools with the highest numbers of chronically absent students will be able to apply for funding for an in-school service. The schools in this bracket tend to be ones in higher Equity Index (ELI) groups, facing the most socio-economic barriers," Seymour said. Transitioning to the new attendance service would start at the end of the year and be fully in place from early 2026, he said. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
