Absenteeism in schools within the inner harbour region, where the problem has been a major headache for many years, has been cut by more than half, official figures show.
This figure emerges from the number of citations issued to parents of truant children over the past three scholastic years.
San Ġorġ Preca College in Ħamrun has seen a 60 per cent drop in the number of fines handed out. The college encompasses several primary and secondary schools in the inner harbour area, including in Valletta, Floriana, Pietà, Marsa and Paola.
In the 2013-2014 scholastic year, the college issued just shy of 500 fines to parents who had not sent their children to school.
READ: More than 10,000 court cases over absenteeism since 2009
That number has now dropped to 187, according to information provided by Education Minister Evarist Bartolo in reply to a parliamentary question tabled by PL MP Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi.
The point is not to have more students in classes for the sake of it
When the Times of Malta asked what had brought about such a drop in the number of students missing class, an Education Ministry spokeswoman said efforts were being made to address the problem nationwide rather than in individual school districts.
The total number of fines imposed dropped from 1,599 three years ago to 1,146.
The spokeswoman said the government was working to improve the social assistance given to families, particularly through im-proving support services and an increase in public investment.
READ: Absenteeism rates go down in state schools, NSO figures show
The government, she added, was not just forcing children to attend school against their will.
“This ministry has introduced numerous policies that combat absenteeism. The ultimate point is not to have more students in classes for the sake of it but to offer a meaningful educational experience which is worth attending in the first place and which entices individuals with different qualities to attend,” she said.
In terms of social support services, the education authorities employed additional staff, ranging from psychologists and social workers to counsellors, to engage with students coming from difficult social backgrounds.
The government commissioned a report on the matter and drafted a policy on improving attendance. The spokeswoman said that, from the operational side, a great effort had been made to improve the coordination between different authorities and entities across the public sector.
“The reasons behind certain behaviours are wider than education,” she said.
It could not be confirmed how many of the fines issued have actually been settled by parents, and questions on the matter so far remain unanswered.
This newspaper reported in 2014 that 80 per cent of the fines issued to the parents of truants were being ignored, leaving more than €1.4 million unpaid since 2000.