Truancy is increasing. The rising cost of living is a major barrier keeping children from getting past school doors, says an Auckland principal.
“We’re going to families whose kids aren’t attending, and asking: ‘What can we do to help your son or daughter to get back to school?’” said Wendy Esera, principal at Henderson Intermediate.
“And parents are saying, ‘Look, I haven’t got a uniform for them’.”
Esera has been in the education sector for over 44 years, and says student poverty is the worst she’s seen. Read more