No ifs or buts, students must attend

Publication of school-by-school NAPLAN results by the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority highlights alarming patterns, especially poor attendance by students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Children at schools dominated by poor families have fallen years behind those from affluent areas, education editor Natasha Bita writes.

Income disparity is a fact of life. But given the truism, proven over generations, that education is a great leveller by opening doors for poorer children, a concerted effort is needed to ensure parents get their children to school every day, unless they are unwell. The fact that four out of 10 children have skipped at least a month of school this year is unacceptable. It is short-changing the children’s life chances and future earning capacity by contributing to the educational malaise that has seen one in three students fail to meet minimum literacy and numeracy standards. If students are continually absent, curriculum quality and teaching methods count for nothing.

Attendance levels remain well below pre-pandemic levels. As Education Minister Jason Clare says, “school refusal” is complex. It is being seen across the board – among boys and girls, primary and high schools, government and non-government schools, in the bush and in the cities

In disadvantaged areas, especially, where the problem is most acute, Mr Clare wants extra support provided, including parenting services, speech and occupational therapy, and on-site nurses. Such assistance needs to be well-targeted and geared to changing behaviour patterns. The answer, ultimately, comes down to parental responsibility.