SCHOOL ATTENDANCE.

Northern Advocate, 3 February 1921, Page 2

SCHOOL ATTENDANCE.

Attendance at .school is a matter of great importance in this country, for the primary schools arc graded according to average attendar.ee, and upon tho grade of the school depends the number and quality of the teachers employed. The Whangarei School, for the first tjme in its history, was able to qualify for admission to tho highest grade at the beginning of last year, with the result that the staff was in-

creased. The progress of the school was, of course, in keeping with the progress of the town, which should take some pride in the fact that its prin. cipal primary school has attained the top of the ladder, But we are afraid that people are not taking the interest and pride in their school that they should We understand that the iverflge attendance fell at the end of last year, and in accordance with the inexorable regulations the school may have to go down a grade unless the attendance improves durii-.g the current quarter. The result of this loss of rank, if such a regrettable thing were permitted to happen, would be an immediate reduction in the number of the staff. It is also possible that some of the present members of the staff might be transferred to larger schools, that being the only alternative to reduction of rank and salary. The school undoubtedly is well staffed at the present time, and it would be ft grep-t pity to sec changes made owiu to the p/ttepdance falling a little below the minimum number required to kec-p the school in tlie highest grade. If there were not enough children in the school district to maintain the required average com. plaint would be futile, but Whangarei certainly has grown during the past twelve months, and the attendance at the school should have increased- It could bo increased sufficiently if parents were punctilious in the matter of sending their children to school regularly. The first term of the year began this week, and we are informed that, though the roll number is 530 the attendance is only 479. This means that nearly 10 per cent, of the children are being kept away. There is no epidemic of illness to account for the absence of so large a proportion of the children; in fact, the town is healthy and the weather has been favourable. Surely parents, in the interests of their children as well as of the rachool, should make an effort to put the attendance on a more satisfactory basis. The Auckland Education Board is endeavouring to obtain another chance for the school under a new regulation, which will allow the school, if the Minister consents, to rank a3 a m;w school from the beginning of this year. That means that the school will bo regarded £S living entered the highest grade this year, und the attendance must be maintained from now on. It is worth while to keep the school in the highest grade, and it is obviously possible to lo so. But parents must wak 3 up. At the pre. sent moment the school is seriously threatened with a loss of status, and energetic action should be taken to avert the danger.