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

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.
Read more: Lava of Cumbre Vieja volcano in Spain engulfs more houses
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."
Read more: UK energy intensive manufacturers warn of factory closures without help on fuel costs
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
You May Also Like
Popular Posts
Caricature
BENEFIT Sponsors BuildHer...
- April 23, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
opinion
Report
ads
Newsletter
Subscribe to our mailing list to get the new updates!