High rate of school absenteeism concerns Brakpan SAPS
Ntuli has threatened that parents of children who are frequently absent from school will be charged with child abuse.
December 15 will mark the last day of school and while there aren’t too many days left for children to be in the classroom, Brakpan police are urging parents to ensure their children attend school until the official end-of-year break starts.
According to Sgt Faith Ntuli, from the Brakpan SAPS Social Crime Prevention Unit, school absenteeism in Brakpan is currently a serious problem.
She told the Herald police are contacted daily about children not being at school.
“We get calls from schools, community members and even from Child Line,” she said.
“It has been more prevalent since the start of exams.”
The disruption to education caused by Covid-19 created a shift to home and online learning, and parents who were still anxious about sending their children back to school could apply for exemption from attendance and home schooling.
Children who aren’t exempt, must attend school.
Ntuli has threatened that parents of children who are frequently absent from school will be charged with child abuse.
She explained that keeping children out of school is educational neglect, which is a form of child abuse.
Educational neglect occurs when a child is allowed to engage in chronic absenteeism, or is of mandatory school age but not receiving schooling.
In addition, a tell-tale sign of child neglect is when a child is frequently absent from school.
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