The bill also fails to address the most urgent challenges facing schools. Behavioural issues have intensified in recent years, yet there is no serious national strategy to support schools in managing these complexities. Attendance is another critical area. Some local authorities often act too slowly, layering bureaucracy onto schools that must meet increasingly complex criteria before fines or legal action can be pursued. This undermines efforts to uphold standards. Meanwhile, schools are forced to offer incentives, trips, rewards, even minibus collections, to encourage attendance, while other diligent students who rely on public transport receive no such allowances. This inequity breeds resentment and diminishes the perceived value of education. The reluctance to enforce fines reflects a broader discomfort with holding parents accountable for their children’s education, weakening the social contract.
