© Rido -stock.adobe.com
<h2><span data-contrast="auto">Following the announcement of government public service targets, Associate Education Minister David Seymour and Prime Minister Christopher Luxon have revealed the first stages of their Attendance Action Plan (AAP). </span><span data-ccp-props="{";201341983";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:279}"> </span></h2>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Early last week, Luxon announced nine public service targets, one of which was to get 80 percent of students to regular school attendance by 2030. In a follow-up conference, Seymour stated that New Zealand was an “outlier” with school attendance and outlined their plan to address truancy. </span><span data-ccp-props="{";134233117";:false,";134233118";:false,";201341983";:0,";335551550";:1,";335551620";:1,";335559685";:0,";335559737";:0,";335559738";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:279}"> </span></p>
<p><a href="https://www.schoolnews.co.nz/latest-print-issue/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Read the latest print edition of <em>School News</em> HERE</strong></a> </p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Seymour said that attendance initiatives would be “data driven” with weekly releases of school attendance data. Seymour drew parallels between this approach to attendance and the previous government’s approach to Covid-19. </span><span data-ccp-props="{";134233117";:false,";134233118";:false,";201341983";:0,";335551550";:1,";335551620";:1,";335559685";:0,";335559737";:0,";335559738";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:279}"> </span></p>
<figure id="attachment_25303" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-25303" style="width: 300px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img class="size-medium wp-image-25303" src="https://www.schoolnews.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/AdobeStock_59525680-scaled-e1696814041806-300x200.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-25303" class="wp-caption-text">AdobeStock by<br />
bradcalkins</figcaption></figure>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Seymour also revealed there would be “locally delivered but nationally coordinated” social media campaigns on the importance of attendance, targeting young people. </span><span data-ccp-props="{";134233117";:false,";134233118";:false,";201341983";:0,";335551550";:1,";335551620";:1,";335559685";:0,";335559737";:0,";335559738";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:279}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Public health guidance will soon be released on whether students should stay home or go to school based on symptoms, following the UK example, said Seymour. </span><span data-ccp-props="{";134233117";:false,";134233118";:false,";201341983";:0,";335551550";:1,";335551620";:1,";335559685";:0,";335559737";:0,";335559738";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:279}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“Not every ailment means you should not attend school. What parents need is clear information from the government to help them make that decision,” said Seymour. </span><span data-ccp-props="{";134233117";:false,";134233118";:false,";201341983";:0,";335551550";:1,";335551620";:1,";335559685";:0,";335559737";:0,";335559738";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:279}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">In the medium term – Phase Two of the AAP – the public can expect “more detailed” plans to be released on getting the “best value” from attendance services, priorities for school boards, attendance-lifting strategies for schools following the example of successful New Zealand models and a traffic light system. </span><span data-ccp-props="{";134233117";:false,";134233118";:false,";201341983";:0,";335551550";:1,";335551620";:1,";335559685";:0,";335559737";:0,";335559738";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:279}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">The traffic light system for attendance will include a green setting where students are attending regularly, an orange setting where some attendance issues have been identified and will be addressed at a school-board level, and a red setting where persistent non-attendance will be dealt with by the Ministry of Education. </span><span data-ccp-props="{";134233117";:false,";134233118";:false,";201341983";:0,";335551550";:1,";335551620";:1,";335559685";:0,";335559737";:0,";335559738";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:279}"> </span></p>
<figure id="attachment_30059" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-30059" style="width: 300px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img class="size-medium wp-image-30059" src="https://www.schoolnews.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/AdobeStock_503281846-300x200.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-30059" class="wp-caption-text">Associate Education Minister David Seymour says the focus is on messaging around the importance of attendance. Photo: AdobeStock by Robert Peak.</figcaption></figure>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Seymour emphasised that fines for students in the red setting will be applied “not in the case of ‘can’t’, but a matter of ‘won’t’.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{";134233117";:false,";134233118";:false,";201341983";:0,";335551550";:1,";335551620";:1,";335559685";:0,";335559737";:0,";335559738";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:279}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">The final part of the AAP announced by Seymour involves understanding “why education is not being valued,” and will be a long-term outlook. </span><span data-ccp-props="{";134233117";:false,";134233118";:false,";201341983";:0,";335551550";:1,";335551620";:1,";335559685";:0,";335559737";:0,";335559738";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:279}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Phase Two and Three of the AAP have not been finalised, clarified Seymour, meaning there is no concrete agreement on the finer details of the traffic light system. However, the “overall direction” has been agreed upon. </span></p>

NZCER found generative AI tools are frequently used to support teaching and learning in primary…
The Ministry decision to discontinue a reading resource over kupu Māori has angered the sector…
NCEA was designed to broaden educational success, explains David Pomeroy from the University of Canterbury.
More than just a break from the classroom, a visit to a zoo or wildlife…
Without proper maintenance and care, trees can become a hazard. Are your trees in need…
Loneliness and social disconnection negatively impact wellbeing. A new WHO report finds teens feel the…
This website uses cookies.
