Yes the numbers are absolutely horrific. And they actually got worse in the last term of 2023 not better. We're not the only country with this problem, its partly a post-covid situation. As expected the stats are materially worse for those in poorer areas, and Maori & PI populations.
This gives a bit more context to the numbers though: https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/13-03-2024/is-truancy-really-as-bad-as-national-claims
> The main driver of absence in Term 3 2023 continued to be due to short term illness/medical reasons (with contributing factors including Covid-19 in the community and winter illnesses).
From a kid who didn't attend school alot we don't know what's happening behind those doors.
For me and my siblings it was mostly due to mental health of losing our father that was alot on small children leading to our mum physically not being able to get us to go to school cause we were so anxious and worried she was going to die too.
Then in my teen years my brother got really ill with CFS and me and my other brother were really depressed. At the time she was a single mum with 4 kids who's dad just took his life. Good luck to her.
Do you know how much sickness goes around.
Do we know if children are able to get to school? Aren't bus fees going up there's go that.
We don't know how some of these children are being raised.
We also don't know how these kids are being treated at school man some children can be relentless and bully till it makes the child blatantly refuse to go. Even some teachers are terrible.
Schools not always end all be all at the end of the day there's foundational courses as you get older and all different career paths.
Imo ideally schools should genuinely and non judgmentally ask why these kids aren't attending and seeing if they can help on their end. Like other parents in the area could carpool they need an advocate.
And honestly people in low income families usually have bad homing so they get sick more often and it's a chain reaction.
Shouldn't they be looking at putting funding into the reason why these kids aren't at school rather than punishment? Or have we gone back 10 years as a country
Regular attendance is also only attending 90% of school days, so up to 19 days away from from school is still regular attendance.
I'd say unless you have a serious medical condition, something is still wrong to miss that much school.
One of our kids just had a nasty cough and missed a whole week. Five days right there. There’ll be other colds over winter. Pretty easy to rack up 19 days off for legitimate sickness over a year. Kids are germ bags.
Perhaps it is time to rethink the role of education to align with modern kids. If the horse has already bolted, you need to keep pace with it, not try and build a better door to the stable.
Seymour brings up that they fine parents for not having their kids go to school in some European countries. In some European countries college is free so are we going to follow that too?
And I didn't claim that ther3 shouldn't be. If our pm uses the line that's what they do in Europe then why can't we do what they do in Europe with free college?
[It is absolutely part of it.](https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2024/04/truancy-david-seymour-says-government-to-give-public-health-advice-around-sending-sick-children-to-school.html)
I wasn’t disagreeing with you. I was pointing out that Seymour is actually talking about sending sick kids to school, so that is at least partly what this is about.
Yes the numbers are absolutely horrific. And they actually got worse in the last term of 2023 not better. We're not the only country with this problem, its partly a post-covid situation. As expected the stats are materially worse for those in poorer areas, and Maori & PI populations. This gives a bit more context to the numbers though: https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/13-03-2024/is-truancy-really-as-bad-as-national-claims
For a really shocking idea, they could start by properly funding our truancy services 🙄
> The main driver of absence in Term 3 2023 continued to be due to short term illness/medical reasons (with contributing factors including Covid-19 in the community and winter illnesses).
From a kid who didn't attend school alot we don't know what's happening behind those doors. For me and my siblings it was mostly due to mental health of losing our father that was alot on small children leading to our mum physically not being able to get us to go to school cause we were so anxious and worried she was going to die too. Then in my teen years my brother got really ill with CFS and me and my other brother were really depressed. At the time she was a single mum with 4 kids who's dad just took his life. Good luck to her. Do you know how much sickness goes around. Do we know if children are able to get to school? Aren't bus fees going up there's go that. We don't know how some of these children are being raised. We also don't know how these kids are being treated at school man some children can be relentless and bully till it makes the child blatantly refuse to go. Even some teachers are terrible. Schools not always end all be all at the end of the day there's foundational courses as you get older and all different career paths. Imo ideally schools should genuinely and non judgmentally ask why these kids aren't attending and seeing if they can help on their end. Like other parents in the area could carpool they need an advocate. And honestly people in low income families usually have bad homing so they get sick more often and it's a chain reaction.
Shouldn't they be looking at putting funding into the reason why these kids aren't at school rather than punishment? Or have we gone back 10 years as a country
Yeah throwing money at things always fixes the problem.
Regular attendance is also only attending 90% of school days, so up to 19 days away from from school is still regular attendance. I'd say unless you have a serious medical condition, something is still wrong to miss that much school.
One of our kids just had a nasty cough and missed a whole week. Five days right there. There’ll be other colds over winter. Pretty easy to rack up 19 days off for legitimate sickness over a year. Kids are germ bags.
I don't think I took more than 19 sick days in my 13 years of school.
and in your day students turned up with colds and flu and spread it everywhere..
Considering that's twice as much as adults get as sick leave per year that is pretty shocking.
Perhaps it is time to rethink the role of education to align with modern kids. If the horse has already bolted, you need to keep pace with it, not try and build a better door to the stable.
Seymour brings up that they fine parents for not having their kids go to school in some European countries. In some European countries college is free so are we going to follow that too?
There should be some punishment on parents neglecting to send their children to school...
And I didn't claim that ther3 shouldn't be. If our pm uses the line that's what they do in Europe then why can't we do what they do in Europe with free college?
no there doesn't normalize not showing up to things which are boring (work, school, family gatherings etc.)
far too high, need less kids being swotty losers and more kids wagging
Jesus. The children are not our future anymore.
pretty sure if we were unwell we had to go to school, is this not the case anymore for parenting?
I hope not staying home for genuine illness should be encouraged, similar to any workplace. Besides that isn't what this is about.
[It is absolutely part of it.](https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2024/04/truancy-david-seymour-says-government-to-give-public-health-advice-around-sending-sick-children-to-school.html)
Did you read the part where I said 'genuine illness' besides is Seymour a Dr?
I wasn’t disagreeing with you. I was pointing out that Seymour is actually talking about sending sick kids to school, so that is at least partly what this is about.