Parents warned

With the start of the new school year two days away, the Office of the Children's Registry (OCR) is warning parents and guardians that failure to enrol their children in school and ensure that they attend could land them in trouble.

The OCR said under the Child Care and Protection Act, this constitutes neglect and could attract a $1 million fine, or up to five years in jail, or both.

Between January and June this year, the OCR said it had received 85 reports of children not enrolled in school, and 564 reports of students who were enrolled but not attending.

The registry records and assesses the reports before they are referred to the Child Development Agency and or the Office of the Children's Advocate for formal investigation.

In a statement yesterday, the OCR's acting registrar, Olive Wilson-Cross, said that the reports did not always list the reasons for non-attendance.

She said parents in need should seek assistance as "it shows that at least they have the interest to ensure their children attend school". Wilson-Cross said parents or guardians deliberately preventing children from attending school they should be reported.

Yesterday, the education ministry revealed that it had seen a significant increase in the number of parents calling its regional offices islandwide seeking assistance.

She said the ministry's assistance was limited, but it worked along with school administrators to determine the best approach to accommodate pupils.