Photo: Getty ImagesSchool principals are blaming record-low school attendance rates on cheap air fares tempting families into taking more holidays in term time. The Education Ministry says only 63% of all school pupils attended school ‘‘regularly’’ — defined as at least 90% of the half-days — in the second term last year, down from a previous low of 66% in the same term of 2013. Mr Morris, principal of Dar-field High School in Canterbury, said more parents were taking their children out of school for holidays during term time. But the total amount of time pupils were absent on ‘‘unjustified’’ holidays increased from 0.4% of the term in 2015 to 0.7% last year. Asian pupils still have the highest regular attendance rate of 73%, but even their attendance is down 7% from 2011.

Source: Otago Daily Times March 22, 2018 19:30 UTC