Latest education policies could penalise not empower

Now it’s time for Will’s Word…

The recent announcement by Associate Education Minister David Seymour regarding truancy crackdowns seems a wee bit like Government overreach doesn’t it?

By banning teacher-only days during term time and threatening parents with prosecution after 15 days of student absence, some might think it risks transforming our schools into places more focused on compliance rather than actual education.

That said though I understand the thinking why — our truancy rates are atrocious and perhaps our attitude towards education isn’t quite where it should be as a nation.

In the pursuit of higher attendance rates, let’s not lose sight of the fact that education should empower, not penalise.

We must strike a balance between encouraging attendance and respecting the realities of family life.