A proposal to make school­children produce a medical certificate if they miss class even for one day has been scrapped, according to a new truancy policy announced last week.

However, parents will have to write to the head of school to justify the absence and, if possible, present documentation to back their claim.

Also, in suspicious cases, the head may still ask for a medical certificate “if this is deemed to be in the best interest of the child”, the policy says.

The days when children were entitled to three days of ‘leave’ a month are over

In a circular issued by the Directorate of Educational Services and the Directorate for Quality and Standards, parents were notified that, if the reason given was not deemed justifiable or written justification was not submitted within nine days, children would be marked absent.

In such circumstances, parents would be liable to a €7 fine and an additional penalty not exceeding €2.33 for each day during which the offence continued, in line with the provisions of the Education Act.

Also, parents with a low income who are eligible for the supplementary allowance would lose part of this benefit, on a pro-rata basis, if they are found at fault.

Social Policy Minister Michael Farrugia stirred controversy last September when he announced that children would have to present a medical certificate even if they missed just one day of school.

At present, a certificate is required if students stay away from school for a minimum of three consecutive days.

The measure was meant to address loopholes in school truancy regulations and social benefits abuse, he had said.

“The days when children were entitled to three days of ‘leave’ a month are over,” Dr Farrugia had said, noting that the system meant a child could miss out on about 27 days of school every academic year.

However, following criticism by the teachers’ union and the Association of Private Family Doctors, the Education Ministry had decided to put everything on hold until a new policy on truancy was drafted.

The new guidelines state that a medical certificate would still be required in cases when children were ill for three or more days.

This would have to be presented within three days from the date on which the student returned to school.

If the absence stretched over five days or more, the medical certificate would have to be presented on the first day the student returned to school. In addition, the family doctor would have to fill in the medical certificate record card provided by the school.

Under the new policy, children will not be given permission to go abroad, unless for educational purposes and any such trips would only be allowed on the presentation of documentation.

If travel is required for family reasons, a request in writing will have to be made to the head of school.

The regulations will also apply at kindergarten level but only for those aged five or older.

Form 5 students who turn 16 (when education is no longer compulsory) will still be legally bound to finish the scholastic year, the policy says.

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