News Item
Text messages to stop kids wagging
SMS ‘dob’ alerts on way to truants’ parents
By SUELLEN HINDE Northern Territory News, June 6th 2005
Territory children wagging school are about to be dobbed in to their parents - by mobile telephone text messages.
The system will involve sending an SMS to alert parents their child is not at school and ask for an explanation. The Territory has the highest rate of truancy in Australia. The messaging system — developed by Adelaide company MGM Wireless - has been successful in cutting truancy by 50 per cent in other Australian states.
Palmerston High School is one of six Territory schools considering introducing the phone messageyou software. MGM managing director Mark Fortunatow said the SMS system was “incredibly effective. Overall attendance in the school improves,” he said, “One of the underlying principles of improving attendance Is engaging parents so they know their child is not at school. It is too difficult to call everyone, so this system tells all parents whose children are not at school within minutes. “If kids are bored or being bullied, this will get then back because it is probably the first time mum or dad knows about it. “Then it is up to the school to keep then there.”
messageyou works by taking note of who is absent on the roll through the school’s computer records. The message would read something like: “Palmerston records show that John Smith is absent today. Please provide reason by return SMS.” There are 130 schools nationwide involved in the program. “Parents like it because they can see the school is concerned about their child’s welfare,’’ Mr Fortunatow said, “And it’s good for the kids because you don’t want them dropping out of school. Everyone is accountable.”
The software was developed after a drive by the South Australian Government to improve student attendance at school.
Education Department spokesman Steve Mullins said the system was being examined by some Territory schools and the department also was interested in the program.
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