Northland schools are trying to hook truants back into class, by targeting their parents at the local chippy, among other things.
Education Minister Jan Tinetti has today highlighted figures showing regular attendance at schools nationwide has gone from just under 40 percent in term two last year to almost 60 percent in term one of this year.
The Minister says the improvements are due to the government's rapid response to improving attendance; including an additional 80 full and part time attendance officers on the job now, and a regional response fund. Northland school attendance rates were hovering around 48 percent in term one.
But Tai Tokerau Principals' Association president and principal at Hora Hora Primary School in Whangarei, Pat Newman says the changes they've made are starting to work.
