Government’s $21m truancy officer program fails to raise attendance
The government’s $21m signature school attendance policy has failed to raise attendance across the Northern Territory. Read the details.
The Country Liberal Party’s signature school attendance policy has failed to raise attendance across the Northern Territory, despite its $21m price tag.
Described as a “punitive approach” by the Labor Opposition, one of truancy officer’s responsibilities is conducting compliance visits and educating families of non-attenders about the importance of school attendance.
Part of these visits includes threatening or issuing $370 fines.
The CLP reintroduced truancy officers in November last year to tackle the Territory’s shockingly low attendance rate, which was 73 per cent in 2024 — a full ten points below the second worst, Tasmania.
Term 2 data for this year shows a 0.5 per cent decline in attendance, dropping from 73.1 per cent in Term 2, 2024, to 72.6 per cent in Term 2, 2025.
Education Minister Jo Hersey told the Estimates Committee on June 16 the approach to truancy would cost $21m.
“There are five (officers) in the Barkly, eight in Big Rivers, ten in Central, seven in Darwin, seven in East Arnhem and seven in Top End,” Mrs Hersey told Estimates.
“That is at a cost of $21,007,002.”
Mrs Hersey was optimistic about the overall decline, pointing to “challenged regions” where attendance had increased.
“School Attendance Officers working directly with families and communities are making a real difference,” she said.
“At Timber Creek School, where Attendance Officers have been on the ground supporting parents and engaging with students, attendance has jumped from just 36.2 per cent in Term 2 last year to nearly 68 per cent this year.”
“Similarly, Alpurrurulam School in the Barkly region has seen enrolments surge from 33 students in Term 2, 2024 to 77 students this term, another sign that our approach is working.”
In fact the only region to have an increase in attendance was Darwin region, which increased by just 0.3 per cent.
The sharpest decline in attendance was the Central region which dropped 2.6 per cent on Term 2, 2024 levels and Barkly region which dropped 1.6 per cent in the same period.
Shadow Education Minister Chansey Paech described the results as a “big fail”.
“The CLP’s rehashed truancy officer program is a big fail, with school attendance dropping in every region across the Territory,” he said.
“Yet again, Lia Finocchiaro has broken her promise to Territorians.
“The CLP is learning the hard way that simplistic approaches aimed at getting headlines rather than outcomes isn’t the answer.
“To get kids engaged in school, the Government must do the real work: properly fund our schools, deliver education that’s relevant, culturally responsive and flexible, and partner with families, not threaten or punish them.”
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