Media Release
11 September 2012
Truancy Prosecution for Kuranui Student
The parents of a student at Kuranui College are to be prosecuted under Section 19 of the Education Act 1989 for failing
to ensure that their child attends school. There have been significant non-attendance issues with the student for two
and a half years, despite considerable efforts to address the situation.
Their case was referred to the Rock On programme (Reduce Our Community Kids Offending Now), a comprehensive inter-agency
truancy programme which includes a Guidance Counsellor, Truancy Services, Child Youth and Family (CYF), a Youth Police
Aid Officer and any other agency the college deems necessary. Even with the support of this programme, the student has
continued to be absent from school, and prosecution of the parents is the only course of action left for the college.
“This is not an action which the college has taken lightly and everybody involved is extremely disappointed that this
has become necessary,” explained Kuranui College Principal Geoff Shepherd. “However, Kuranui is bound to carry out this
prosecution by the Education Act, we are obliged to take steps to prosecute when all other steps have been exhausted and
this course of action has been approved by the Ministry of Education.
“Kuranui has followed a highly-prescriptive wrap-around process and our aim is always to support the student and the
parents every step of the way. This has been a two and half year journey, but with no improvement in this student’s
attendance, prosecution has become necessary.
“Teachers and agencies have worked hard to ensure that this student receives an education at Kuranui and there has been
a process of clear communication, face to face meetings and family group conferences to try to resolve this matter.
Ultimately our responsibility is to ensure that every Kuranui student receives the preparation they need for later life
and we make no apologies for taking that responsibility seriously.”
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