Take the Government's recent pronouncement on its plans for serialskivers. Last week, schools minister Jacqui Smith revealed that 8,000pupils are responsible for 20 per cent of all unauthorised absences.
As a result, Smith wants these pupils' parents on the Fast Track toAttendance scheme, which results in a fine or imprisonment if a child'sattendance does not improve in 12 weeks.
Unsurprisingly, education professionals are divided over whether it willwork. Teaching unions like the NUT support hard-line measures, while theNational Association of Social Workers in Education and family supportorganisations are calling for more resources for education welfareservices and a better understanding of the nature of truancy (see News,p9).
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