Source: New Zealand Government
Associate Education Minister David Seymour is calling on local leaders to join the Government in driving up school attendance, citing it as a foundation for community and national success.
Seymour has written to all mayors across New Zealand urging them to use the Government’s new daily school attendance dashboard to raise awareness and spark local action.
“I’m calling on mayors to be champions for education in their regions. When students go to school, communities are stronger and better prepared for generations to come,” says Mr Seymour.
“The dashboard provides region-specific data. For instance, the Mayor of Southland is able to see their region recorded an 89% attendance rate on the last Monday of Term 1.
“This is a tool for action, local leaders can now see how their region is doing at a glance, and lead the change they want to see.
“Every day a child misses school is a day they miss out on opportunities to learn, to grow, and to succeed.
In the letter, Seymour encourages local councils to:
Check out the dashboard and how your region compares with other parts of New Zealand. Encourage others in your community to engage with this dashboard.
Lead a conversation with your community around how they can support schools to improve attendance. Even small steps like encouraging local businesses to be aware that school-aged children should be at school during school hours is helpful.
Amplify the message that school is helping our young people achieve better outcomes.
Let us know what’s working, or not working, in your community, to get young people in school.
In Term 4 of 2024, 58.1% of students attended school regularly, up from 53% in Term 4 of 2023 — a 5.1 percentage point rise. Every region saw an increase on the year prior.
“Attending school is the first step towards achieving positive educational outcomes. Positive educational outcomes lead to better health, higher incomes, better job stability and greater participation within communities. These are opportunities that every student deserves,” says Mr Seymour.
“I encourage students, parents, and educators to prioritise education. That is what this Government is doing, and it is what is required for New Zealand to have a better future.”
Attendance data can be found here Attendance | Education Counts
