Member for Currumbin Jann Stuckey MP says alarming truancy rates in Logan are not isolated to that area and that she has received disturbing reports in her own electorate.
Following recent discussions with police and school representatives, she has called a stakeholder community forum this afternoon in her office with the purpose of forming a taskforce to develop mechanisms to tackle the issue.
“Through my talks with these people I have learnt of significant number of students not attending school and the subsequent concerns being raised, particularly in shopping centres where these students frequent,” she said.
An independent 2006 study found 800 Logan High School students were absent for a third of the school year.
The idea of a school-based police officer on the southern Gold Coast had been discussed with stakeholders in recent years but Ms Stuckey was disappointed to learn that no further appointments were being made while the system was currently under review.
Ms Stuckey said she had received reports that between 200 – 300 students were absent from one local high school each week.
Ms Stuckey said it was important strategies were implemented to tackle truancy as she had also received reports of large numbers of students at The Pines Shopping Centre causing problems.
‘These youngsters are missing out on their education and therefore setting themselves up to miss out on opportunities for work in their adult lives. We must devise ways to get these kids back to school,” Ms Stuckey concluded.
Ends