The NSW government announced yesterday it is starting a campaign to improve school attendance called Every Day Matters. Attendance has been on the decline since 2019, with the initiative aiming to get class attendance numbers back to pre-Covid levels.
Despite an uptick in term one attendance rates across New South Wales for 2023, the state figures in 2022 sat at just 85.7 per cent, way below the target level the NSW government has set at 95 per cent. Term one attendance sat at 89.4 per cent in 2023, which is still below the 2019 average attendance rate of 90.2 per cent.
“This is a wake-up call that we need to prioritise good attendance across the state, and work with schools and the wider community to ensure our children are back at school,” said Deputy Premier and Minister for Education and Early Learning, Prue Carr.
The issue is one that certainly affects schools in Broken Hill. Attendance rates have suffered post-Covid, despite several systems being in place to combat the issue in both of our high schools.
“Public schools in Broken Hill are responding to this challenge with a targeted approach to attendance that includes an expanded range of wellbeing initiatives and tailored support to help families and students overcome attendance challenges,” a spokesperson for the NSW Department of Education said.
The new campaign will run from today until 21 July across social media, TV streaming services and radio – including platforms for regional, culturally, and linguistically diverse and Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander audiences.
Premier Chris Minns had this to say at the unveiling of the campaign, “The best thing we can do for the next generation of kids is provide a good education.
“It’s our job to ensure we get kids back into classrooms where they belong, learning and reaching their full potential.”
