Ruth Shinoda: Education Review Office Deputy CEO on the chronic absence crisis in schools
The Education Review Office says there's a chronic absence crisis. This Term 2, one in ten students were chronically absent. Chronic absence has doubled in secondary schools since 2015, and almost tripling in primary schools. By age 20, chronically absent students can cost the state three times more than a student who went to school. ERO Ruth Shinoda told Mike Hosking the education they're missing out on damages their life chances. She says less than half get NCEA level two, and by age 25 almost half are receiving a benefit rather than working. Shinoda told Hosking the contributing factors are long-standing. She says half of schools don't refer to attendance services because they're often not effective as they're overwhelmed, with some having 500 students to one worker. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.