According to a press release the meeting also aimed at strengthening collaboration and promoting partnerships with key stakeholders to develop strategies to address truancy. In his address at the meeting titled “Keeping Our Children in School: Strategies and Interventions” Education Minister Shaik Baksh said at the end of the forum a National Truancy Committee will be established to help the ministry address the issue nationwide.
Baksh also said the ministry has implemented several initiatives and programmes to encourage students to attend and stay in school. He said the forum would examine whether these programmes needed to be amended as the Schools Welfare Unit is adequately staffed with 35 persons and 15 persons will soon be added to the roster.
Meanwhile, Minister of Labour Manzoor Nadir pledged his ministry’s support in addressing truancy. He said government has invested significant sums of money and other resources to address social ills and the support of all stakeholders is needed to curb truancy.
The meeting was held in the auditorium of the National Centre for Educational Resource Development, the release said.
