Some 16 children were apprehended in Bartica following a major truancy campaign conducted by the Ministry of Education and the Region Seven Department of Education, Schools’ Welfare Unit on Thursday.
In a press release today, the ministry said that the campaign spearheaded by National Truancy Coordinator, Yvonne Arthur comprised Region Seven Schools’ Welfare Officers, Mareilyn Wyatt and Zulfikar Hack; Regional Probation Officer, Joycelyn Gomes; a nurse and a policeman from the Bartica Hospital and Police Station respectively and a photographer. It was carried out at Byderabo, Dogg Point and Agatash in Bartica.
These areas were targeted because of the high absenteeism rate of students there. Eight of those apprehended were secondary school children; seven were from the primary level and the other a nursery school child.
The parents of the children were contacted and they were counselled together with their children. They were also sensitized about the Education Act and the consequences of failing to educate their children.
According to the release, several reasons were noted for the children not being in school including financial difficulties, illness and in one case an eight year old was left to take care of a four year old child.
The Region Seven Schools’ Welfare Department also issued warning letters to two parents and one case was referred to the Regional Probation Department.
Arthur said that the truants will be closely monitored to ensure that they do not only attend school but they do so regularly and punctually.
The Ministry of Education has taken a decision to prosecute parents who have abandoned their responsibility to educate their children in a bid to send a clear message of its position on this matter, the release added.
Arthur said that reports from her officers have indicated that poor parenting and parental neglect were the primary causes of truancy.
She is also called on headteachers to make available to the Schools’ Welfare Department the names of students who are regularly absent from school and stressed that a child can still be enrolled at a school even though the he/she does not have a birth certificate.
Arthur, a former Chief Schools’ Welfare Officer, said that while the child is in school, the parent can be advised by a School’s Welfare Officer on the way forward to acquire the birth certificate.
Education Minister Shaik Baksh had said that the government is providing free uniform, text books and other forms of support to students and all parents must honour their responsibility to support and educate their children.
