An educationist, Modupe Oziyi, has recommended that schools ask teachers to take compulsory attendance of students at the beginning and end of each subject to check truancy.

Mrs Oziyi, a retired director in the Lagos State Ministry of Education, told journalists on Tuesday in Lagos that truancy was a serious issue and must be checked in schools.

“Schools management must implore teachers to take mandatory attendance of students before and confirm their names after classes.

“Unannounced tests should be given to the students and scores must be captured in overall exam results to awaken their consciousness of coming to school and attending classes,” she said.

According to her, students who play truant lack confidence in their learning  abilities and ignorantly prefer to keep away from school to the detriment of their future.

“The danger of it all is that, before you know it, they are already involved in forms of criminal acts and become a thorn to their parents and society,” she added.

She said efforts should be made to invite and notify parents or guardians of the identified students as they might not be aware of the truancy act of their wards.

Mrs Oziyi also pointed out that the Lagos State Ministry of Education had been doing a lot to improve learning at all levels of school across the state.

The education consultant added that the ministry had been encouraging students to identify and develop their areas of interest.

“The Comprehensive Schools have been set up across the six districts.

“The Comprehensive Schools have provided an option for students who are not able to cope in pure academic subjects to try their hands in the fit-for-purpose education under the same platform,” she said.

(NAN)