Peceli Naviticoko 
Education Minister Aseri Radrodro has called for a unified effort to combat the escalating issue of student truancy.
Recent reports have spotlighted the Minister’s call for collaborative action from all stakeholders, emphasizing that the responsibility extends beyond educators and schools.
With an upsurge in public worries about student behaviour, especially truancy, Radrodro says that a cohesive approach encompassing communities both within and beyond school premises is crucial.
“Students behaviour I think the responsibility of the students does not fall only in the school vicinity; it’s the collective responsibility of the school stakeholders, parents, guardians, and school management committees, so it’s a collective responsibility.”
Highlighting the persistence of this long-standing problem, Radrodro states that the Ministry is diligently strategizing to eliminate truancy from schools.
This issue, he says, has gained further attention due to an incident earlier this year involving students who were found absent from school while congregating at a swimming spot in Suva. The ministry took appropriate measures in response.
Radrodro adds that the ministry has identified specific areas frequented by truants and is urging parents and guardians to remain vigilant about their children’s whereabouts.
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