A high school student’s high absenteeism can be costly.
After “several conversations” with the parent, the problem has persisted – now the municipality is demanding a fine.
– It is so extremely important for the student’s future that it is in school, says Krister Åkesson, director of education in Staffanstorp municipality.
In August 2023, a junior high school in Staffanstorp sent a compulsory education report to the municipality due to a student’s high absence. Since November, the parent has been required to pay SEK 200 per missed day of teaching by the municipality. It reports South Sweden.
Several calls
According to the municipality’s documentation, the student has been absent for a long period of time. It is also considered that the parent’s cooperation with the school was “deficient”.
– A prerequisite for us to proceed with fines is that we have followed our routines and not come to terms with the absence, says the municipality’s head of education Krister Åkesson to the newspaper.
The school has referred to several conversations with the family. They also state that some of the meetings were missed.
“Drastic action”
“The school considers that the home has failed to act so that XX will come to school,” the school has stated according to Sydsvenskan.
In order to be able to make a notification about compulsory schooling, an absence of over 30 percent over two months is required. Then going ahead and demanding a fine is another step.
Last year, 133 cases between parents and municipalities were decided in the Administrative Court, according to the newspaper. In 86 of them, fines were imposed.
– It is a rather drastic measure to go for an order for a fine. But it is so extremely important for the student’s future that it is in school, says Krister Åkesson.