Government to increase prosecutions for school truancy

Friday 30 May 2025 · 7 outlets · 5 reports · updated Fri 30 May 2025, 2:28pm

In this story David Seymour, Ministry of Education

Associate Education Minister David Seymour says the Ministry of Education will likely pursue prosecutions against parents who repeatedly refuse to send their children to school. The crackdown aims to address chronic truancy, though parents with children facing chronic illness or disabilities may be exempt.

How they headlined it

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1. RNZFri 30 May 2025, 4:59am

   Government ramping up truancy enforcement, parents condoning it could be prosecuted (opens in new tab)

2. NZ HeraldFri 30 May 2025, 5:00am

   David Seymour warns of prosecutions this year in school truancy crackdown (opens in new tab)

3. 1NewsFri 30 May 2025, 6:08am

   Parents could be prosecuted amid school truancy crackdown (opens in new tab)

4. Otago Daily TimesFri 30 May 2025, 7:36am

   Some parents could be prosecuted over truancy (opens in new tab)

5. The Post via RNZFri 30 May 2025, 2:28pm

   Parents could be prosecuted for truancy, but principals say it won't work (opens in new tab)

   Also on The Press (opens in new tab), Waikato Times (opens in new tab)