Minister Grant to Attend Joint Truancy Operation in Athlone

On 23 May, various governmental departments, SAPS and community organisations will be taking part in a joint/transversal truancy operation that aims to address truancy problems in the Athlone area.

All roleplayers will be meeting at the Bridgetown Community Centre where the "headquarters" of the operation will stationed. After the roleplayers have been briefed on the day's operation, WCED truancy officers and officials and SAPS officials will be hitting the streets of Athlone and surrounds to target learners and children who are not attending school.

These areas will include shopping malls, shebeens and other open spaces, as well as individual houses where learners have been reported absent for a period of time.

Truant learners will be collected and taken to the headquarters to be assessed. WCED officials will be present to identify which schools the learners are from, and will also assist with enrolment of children that are not attending school.

Schools will be providing the WCED officials with the names and addresses of learners who are absent from school on a repetitive basis. SAPS and the WCED will then conduct home visits. Counsellors and social workers will also be on call, as well as health officials.

There are 20 schools that are taking part in the operation.

If successful, the operation will be expanded to other communities.

Minister Grant will be visiting the main headquarters and will be following a team of WCED officials and SAPS members to an identified site where there are truant learners.