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Govt urged to consider student engagement officers

Posted August 27, 2008 13:27:00
Updated August 27, 2008 13:26:00

A central Victorian welfare group wants the Federal Government to consider special officers in schools to help cut truancy rates.

St Luke's Anglicare is against Government plans to cut welfare payments to the parents of children who regularly wag school.

Chief executive officer Dave Pugh says student engagement officers should be employed at schools to address issues that are stopping young people from attending.

Mr Pugh says in many cases, there are social and curriculum issues that need to be overcome.

"We're finding that young people are re-engaging one-on-one with ... basic literacy and numeracy and a number of them are returning to school eventually because of the renewed confidence they have," he said.

Tags: welfare, schools, federal-government, community-organisations, bendigo-3550

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