As a new school term starts today, we are half way through the new school year. It won’t be long before the students are sitting their end-of-year exams.

It’s not too late to take remedial action if things are not going the way they should be. The onus is on parents and guardians to ensure that students are attending their classes and keeping up with their studies.

After the school holidays, there is a danger that students have not switched off the holiday mode. It can easily happen if the students are left to their own devices and no one is monitoring their movements, whereabouts and activities.

It is not good enough to think that everything will work out well without parental involvement.

Studies have shown that students raised in a family that is focused and serious about education, usually succeed in their academic pursuits. Those who are not supervised or guided usually fall on the wayside.

Parents and guardians have a moral responsibility to encourage their children to attend school. From Monday to Friday, students should be at school attending their classes. They should not be loitering in town, at home unless they are sick, or anywhere else.

In the recent schools Budget consultations, allegations were made that some students reported sick just to stay away from schools. If they are true, it’s a major worry. This is where the role of parents and guardians cannot be over emphasised.

We know that truancy is a problem in some schools. Proactive teachers and parents must work together to try to stamp out this cancerous growth in our community.

Education may not be compulsory in schools but it does not mean that students have a choice whether to go to school or not.

Students below 18 years of age are still under the legal responsibility of their parents or guardians. So parents and guardians must take responsibility for their children.

There is no excuse for a healthy student to be absent from school.

The existing education initiatives like free tuition and free school bus fare are designed to ensure that every student has access to learning in schools.

It is a shame that some have wasted this wonderful opportunity to get educated.

We are still hearing of some students staying away from schools for no valid reason.

There must be a concerted effort to get them to return to school. For those who feel they may never make it as academic students there’s another alternative – technical colleges.

We must get the message out that education is vital for our future as a nation.