UK Education Secretary vows to tackle persistent pupil absences 'head on'
October 9, 2021, 9:04 am

UK Education Secretary vows to tackle persistent pupil absences 'head on'

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The BBC reported, the UK education secretary has vowed to tackle persistent pupil absences "head on", describing it as a "key priority".

In a speech to head teachers on Saturday, Nadhim Zahawi will say disadvantaged children lose out most from not being in school.

Ahead of the spending review later this month, he will also pledge to invest "record sums" in children's education.

It comes after the number of pupils in England absent for Covid-related reasons rose two-thirds in a fortnight.

The latest government figures showed 204,000 children - 2.5% of state school pupils in England - were out of school for this reason in the fortnight to 30 September.

There are also concerns children may be missing lessons because of mental health issues.

Speaking at the conference of the NAHT school leaders' union in London, Mr Zahawi will say: "Another key priority for me will be getting to the root of what is causing children to be persistently absent and then tackling it head on.

"Because the children who lose out the most from not being in school are likely to be the ones who can cope least, the vulnerable, the disadvantaged. You can't help them if they aren't there.

"For all these reasons, we will continue to invest record sums in our children's education."

He will also call for better understanding of and support for mental health issues.

He will add: "I want us to put wellbeing at the centre of everything we do in schools alongside a drive for rigorous standards and high performance. But, of course, we can't do this if children are not at school."

In response to the education secretary's comments, Paul Whiteman, NAHT's general secretary, said: "There is ambition contained in his address but unsurprisingly after only two weeks in office we are yet to see the detail."

He called for genuine collaboration with head teachers to "bring the ambition of his speech to life free of dogmatic philosophical barriers".

Addressing the conference on Friday, Mr Whiteman said the government's goals for helping children catch-up after the pandemic needed to be more ambitious.

He added: "Recovery implies a return to what we had before, which is simply not good enough."

In June, the government's schools catch-up tsar Sir Kevan Collins resigned, saying the £1.4bn in funding pledged to help pupils make up for lost learning fell "far short of what is needed".

Source: BBC

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.