Truant-Free Zones Gaining Wider Support

Truant-Free Zones Gaining Wider Support

In response to “Truant trapping has wider appeal” in the Manawatu Standard, Tuesday 13 February 2007.

I am glad to see that Palmerston North Police are looking into creating a truant-free zone in the region. The same discussion is underway in Whakatane.

The private organisation CEPNZ (Character Education Programme of NZ) has been supplying resources throughout the country since the end of 2003 to help in setting up these truant-free zones. To date, every school and town that has fully implemented these guidelines and resources has seen a reduction in truancy.

Despite the government injecting $8.5 million into truancy initiatives in a selected number of areas, one in every four state schools in NZ have chosen to use the truancy resources developed without government funding by the CEPNZ.

Everything takes time but if all regions were to follow this path and all local authorities were to cooperate in this project, we could see a huge decrease in truancy and youth crime and an increase in the number of children receiving a full education. Together, we can make a difference.

For further details see Terminate Truancy 2007: http://TT2007.cepnz.com

ENDS

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