Friday 25th May, 2007 St. George’s: The Ministry of Education continues to call on the support of schools, churches, families and communities to help in preventing truancy.
 
Truancy refers to students’ unexcused absence from school. Concern about truancy in general focuses on these unexcused absences. However, any school absence, excused or unexcused, as well as missed classes and late arrivals can affect students’ performance.

 
Students in Grenada miss school for many reasons:
 
School Factors

1. Conflicting and ineffective school attendance policies.
2. Poor record keeping.
3. Not notifying parents/guardians of absences.
4. School environment not conducive to learning.
5. Inadequate identification of special education needs.

 
Family and Community Factors:

• Negative peer influences, such as other truant youth.
• Financial, social, medical, or other problems that pressure students to stay at home.
• Child abuse and neglect.
• Family disorganization
• Teen pregnancy or parenthood.
• Lack of family support for educational and other goals.
• Violence in or near the home or school.
• Parents who leave early for work. 
  

Student Characteristics

• A lack of personal and educational ambition.
• Poor academic performance.
• Lack of self-esteem.
• Unmet mental/ health needs.
• Alcohol and drug use and abuse.

 
What Are the Impacts of Truancy?
 
For decades, educators, researchers, and social reformers have recognized the link between truancy and delinquency.
 
Consequences of Truancy:

• Educational failure.
• Social isolation.
• Substance abuse.
• Low self-esteem.
• Unwanted pregnancy.
• Unemployment.
• Violence.
• Adult criminality and incarceration.
• According to section 48 of the Education Act, a parent can be brought to court.

 
In addition to placing students at risk, truancy has harmful social and financial consequences. Communities with high rates of truancy are likely to have matching rates of drug abuse, criminal activity and vandalism.
 
How Can We Prevent Truancy?
Preventing truancy requires the support of schools, families, churches and communities. Truancy prevention efforts are typically school-based, court-based, or community-based. The best efforts incorporate all three components and provide a continuum of prevention and intervention strategies.
 
Truancy reduction programs may involve one or more of the following components:

1. Parent/guardian and family involvement.
2. A continuum of support, including incentives and consequences for good, improved, and poor attendance.
3. Collaboration among schools, courts, law enforcement agencies, social services providers, businesses, and faith-based and youth-serving agencies.
4. Tangible goals to measure program and student performance.
5. Effective record keeping tracking improvements in student attendance and truancy rates.
6. Establishment of a community standard in which school attendance is valued and expected.

The Ministry of Education calls on all patriotic citizens to help in the reduction of truancy by doing the following:

• Contact the Parent or School
• If the above fails, call the school attendance division of the Ministry of Education at 440-2737 and speak with the Truancy Officer.
• Contact the Police.