Coasties will be keen to follow new developments on school attendance, as a recent report from the Education Review Office (ERO) reveals troubling figures on student absenteeism across New Zealand.

Released today, the report highlights what the ERO calls a “truancy crisis,” stressing the importance of timely interventions to address the rising rates of chronic absenteeism.

According to Associate Education Minister David Seymour, the report shows that since 2015, chronic school absence has doubled, suggesting a substantial need for action to keep children in school and improve future social outcomes.

“This report reinforces that action is needed to ensure this generation reaches its full potential,” Seymour said.

In response, the government has launched a Stepped Attendance Response (STAR) system aimed at addressing absenteeism at multiple levels.

By 2026, all schools will be required to have attendance management plans aligned with STAR.

To support schools in implementing these plans, the Ministry of Education is preparing best practice templates and toolkits for managing absenteeism, considering factors contributing to each student’s attendance patterns.

The report also points to gaps in communication between agencies responsible for school attendance, which has limited the ability to intervene early in cases of chronic absence.

The government aims to resolve these issues by developing information-sharing agreements among the Ministry of Education, Ministry for Social Development, Oranga Tamariki, and Police.

A notable part of the ERO’s findings involved legal barriers that schools face when addressing absenteeism.

Seymour acknowledged these challenges, stating that the Ministry will take a more proactive role in handling cases where legal action is necessary to enforce attendance.

Locals on the Hibiscus Coast may find these updates significant as the government seeks long-term solutions to school absence.

Seymour stressed, “If we want better social outcomes, we can’t keep ignoring the truancy crisis.”

The full ERO report is set to be available on ero.govt.nz from 5 am on Wednesday, October 30.