New Zealand schools will face student attendance targets as part of the Government's new attendance and engagement strategy released on Thursday.
"It has been slipping so much since 2015 that we need to be aspirational but have them realistic as well that we can do everything in our power to reach those targets," Associate Education Minister Jan Tinetti said.
Last year, three in five students attended school regularly, that's missing one day or less in two weeks of school.
The new target is for 70% regular attendance in 2024, and 75% regular attendance in 2026.
Targets for reducing moderate absenteeism and truancy have also been set.
Consultation with the education sector is planned on a 95% target by 2024 for unexplained absences where schools have contacted family on the day of the student absence and started an intervention after five unjustified absences in a term.
The 2026 proposal is for a 100% target.
Post Primary Teachers' Association president Melanie Webber welcomed the strategy but said professional development for teachers is required and students need to see their diversity reflected in their teachers.
"We need more trained counsellors in schools to help but we also need professional learning to help teachers to support kids and we need more kaiako Māori in our schools," she said.
Manurewa Intermediate School has a wrap-around, "relentless" approach to keeping kids in the classroom.
"By phoning, visiting, calling, emailing, texting - any sort of communication to see that they are alright and safe and happy to get them here," principal Iain Taylor said.
It led the school to have regular attendance rates about the national school average for Term 2, 2021.
"There will be boards and principals thinking, 'Oh gosh something else to do...' but this is important.
"If we don't get it right we will have generations of kids who have not been educated and that's going to be a problem for our community and society later on down the years."
Taylor said key to the strategy's success would be providing schools with adequate resourcing to address the issue.
Regional education ministry staff will support schools that don't reach the targets to improve.
A public campaign reminding parents and caregivers its their responsibility to enrol students and have them attend school is planned.
"For some of us that might seem like that's self explanatory but not everybody understands the choices that that will then give to those young people," Tinetti said.
The Government announced $88 million would be spent on overhauling attendance services, funding regional initiatives and increasing support for at-risk students as part of this year's Budget.
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