The goal of the strict ban on absences is to guarantee children’s success in school. The practice can ruin the travel plans of people with low incomes, writes Pasi Möhänen, ‘s London editor.
LONDON In Britain, the summer holiday season is still going on, but it is not particularly easy to leave the country.
Congestion is caused, among other things, by a labor shortage. They have happened elsewhere, but the situation in Britain is particularly difficult. Bottlenecks easily arise at the island nation’s borders.
Due to flight cancellations, flight prices have skyrocketed on several routes.
Of course, the solution would be to postpone the holiday trip outside the summer holiday season.
However, this is prohibited for families with school-aged children – on pain of a fine.
In England, a law change was made in 2013, which gives the municipalities the right to fine both parents of children who are on vacation during the semester a good 70 euros per day of absence.
According to the guidelines, school principals have the right to grant a child a holiday during the semester only in “exceptional circumstances”. A cheaper flight does not meet the criteria.
The goal of Ankara’s line has been to reduce absences, especially for those who do poorly in school. In this way, additional incentives are set for parents to take care of going to school.
But at the same time, families have found themselves in an unequal position.
A well-to-do family can afford to pay for expensive flights – or fines – during the holiday season.
Families with less money may miss out on seeing the foreign countries, because it is practically impossible to find cheap flights during the school holidays.
However, the general direction does not seem to be at least more permissive.
A survey of familiar Finnish teachers reveals that England’s strict absentee policy is considered an interesting model, to say the least.
But you can feel it in your wallet, especially since the dates of the holidays are not very staggered in different parts of England.
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