AdobeStock by bradcalkins
<h2><span data-contrast="auto">Last Tuesday, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon released the ‘</span><a href="https://www.beehive.govt.nz/sites/default/files/2024-04/Action%20Plan.pdf" target="_blank"><span data-contrast="none">Coalition Government’s Action Plan for New Zealand</span></a><span data-contrast="auto">,’ a 36-point document which outlines targets for the government over the next quarter, including actioning campaign promises in the education sector. </span><span data-ccp-props="{";201341983";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:279}"> </span></h2>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">One of the more concrete points on the agenda is number 31: “Launch an Attendance Action Plan and introduce the first phase of initiatives to lift school attendance.” </span><span data-ccp-props="{";201341983";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:279}"> </span></p>
<p><a href="https://www.schoolnews.co.nz/latest-print-issue/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Read the latest print edition of <em>School News</em> HERE</strong></a> </p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Associate Education Minister David Seymour is in charge of delivering the Attendance Action Plan (AAP). Speaking to RNZ’s Checkpoint on Tuesday night, Seymour said that the AAP would not be a crackdown, though he said that fines would play a “tiny part” of the package. </span><span data-ccp-props="{";201341983";:0,";335559685";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:279}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Fines and punitive measures would be used to combat “persistent behaviour”, where parents or caregivers are ignoring attendance messaging and warnings. Seymour said he expected this would be a “small minority” of cases, and noted that there would be “some sensitivity” over who would be liable for fines. Students who were missing school due to poverty would not be subject, he noted. </span><span data-ccp-props="{";201341983";:0,";335559685";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:279}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“Overwhelmingly what we’re looking for is better information on the importance of school,” said Seymour, noting one initiative where local figures recorded messages for school-aged children on the importance of attendance. </span><span data-ccp-props="{";201341983";:0,";335559685";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:279}"> </span></p>
<figure id="attachment_30059" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-30059" style="width: 300px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img class="size-medium wp-image-30059" src="https://www.schoolnews.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/AdobeStock_503281846-300x200.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-30059" class="wp-caption-text">Associate Education Minister David Seymour says the focus is on messaging around the importance of attendance. Photo: AdobeStock by Robert Peak.</figcaption></figure>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">He said the government would be looking at which schools have “winning models” that can be shared with other schools to improve attendance. </span><span data-ccp-props="{";201341983";:0,";335559685";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:279}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Seymour said the plan would also include improving the Attendance Service and a focus on data collection: “Who’s not attending and why and how can we fix it.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{";201341983";:0,";335559685";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:279}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Financial support for children, such as affordable transport packages or school uniform aid, would not be in the Attendance Action Plan, said Seymour. </span><span data-ccp-props="{";201341983";:0,";335559685";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:279}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Commenting on the AAP, Luxon said “We want to be able to get 80 percent of our kids at school for 90 percent of the term, and we want to see 80 percent of our Year 8 kids ready to go for high school.&#8221;</span><span data-ccp-props="{";201341983";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:279}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Education-related points highlighted in the 36-point action plan are listed under the sub-heading of “Deliver better public services”. They are:</span><span data-ccp-props="{";201341983";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:279}"> </span></p>
<ol start="27">
<li><span data-contrast="auto"> Take decisions on the rollout of structured literacy for year 1-3 students, including a phonics check.</span></li>
<li><span data-contrast="auto"> Take action to strengthen teacher training, including refocusing Professional Learning and Development for teachers on numeracy, literacy and assessment.</span></li>
<li><span data-contrast="auto"> Take action to develop standardised assessment and regular reporting to parents.</span></li>
<li><span data-contrast="auto"> Introduce legislation to reintroduce charter schools.</span></li>
<li><span data-contrast="auto"> Launch an Attendance Action Plan and introduce the first phase of initiatives to lift school attendance.</span></li>
</ol>

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