TTUTA: Parents must send children to school on Ash Wed

TTUTA president Lynsley Doodhai has once again called on parents to exercise greater responsibility and ensure their children attend school on Ash Wednesday.

The Education Ministry, using the hashtag Education More Important than Fete, as well as the teachers' union, has urged students and teachers to go to school on Ash Wednesday.

In a phone interview yesterday, Doodhai said initial reports from both primary and secondary schools indicated student attendance was just below 40 per cent and teacher attendance 75-80 per cent.

“Again, the attendance of students continues to be very, very poor: our estimates would be at under 40 per cent of students, from the feedback we have gotten. And regarding teacher attendance, it shows that between 75 and 80 per cent of teachers are present today.”

He said various attempts had been made over the years to encourage better attendance but had not been successful.

“It all goes back to the parents and the parents ensuring that their children are in school, and that is not being done.

“It is a regular school day. We have already lost two days of school – Monday and Tuesday – for Carnival, and even last week we would have lost teaching time because of the various activities in our schools. So it is very critical that students come out to school today and even tomorrow and Friday, because it is not only today (Ash Wednesday) that is affected by the low attendance.

“I would say the parents have to take greater responsibility to get their children in school on Ash Wednesday.”

Up to late yesterday evening, the Ministry of Education had not released any figures for school attendance.