TRUANCY

Truancy Officer:

Truancy Officer’s Objectives and Activities

The truancy officer’s role is defined by the Ministry of Education policy in guidelines published in circulars by the Ministry of Education director general. The objective of the Truancy Unit is to ensure pupils’ regular attendance in the education system for 12 years. The truancy officer is responsible for enforcing the Compulsory Education Law and represents the policy put forth by the Ministry of Education.

The Compulsory Education Law applies to every pupil ages 5 through 18.

The Truancy Unit works on several planes:

• Identifying children who fall under the category of the Compulsory Education Law, but have not been registered at an educational institution.
•  Early identification of pupils at risk of dropping out of school by receiving updates from school and visiting public places.
•  Inspecting and reporting overt and covert truancy in the personal file of at-risk pupils.
• Drafting a preventative program to address and reduce truancy.
•  Treating pupils who have dropped out, including providing guidance and assistance in finding an appropriate framework by mediating among the various stakeholders.

Responsibility for the Placement Committee

• Inputting pupil data and placing pupils in the Ministry of Education computer system.
• Participating in committees held generally from March to May 5th for pupils in elementary and high school and up to May 31th for preschool children.
• Taking down the minutes and summarizing the committee meetings.
• Identifying an appropriate educational framework according to the recommendations by the Educational Psychological Services.
• Absorbing the pupil in the appropriate network with parental consent.
• Follow-up regarding the pupil’s acclimation in the new institution, including regular contact with the counselors, teachers, and parents about the pupil’s performance.
•  Scholarships, criteria for support in tuition payment.
  • Families with a child in need of a psychodidactic evaluation should contact the Educational Services Department for a parent and teacher questionnaire.
  • A committee will convene on this issue, as needed, and will decide on applicants’ entitlement for support.
  • Families receiving services from the Social Services department should submit forms that show this.
  • The amount of support will be determined by income tests.

Paramedical treatments: