Davao City councilor wants sanctions on parents of truant students

A DAVAO City councilor has proposed an ordinance that will penalize parents and guardians of truant students. Councilor Albert T. Ungab said adults who “willfully or without justifiable cause” fail to send their children to school should undergo a community seminar for the first offense, render community service in a public elementary or secondary school for the second offense, and imprisonment of one to six months for the third time. The proposed ordinance states that children between six and 17 must be in school as they “have the right to education which includes the right to avail kinder, basic elementary, secondary” levels. “Truancy has become one of the major problems in schools, negatively affecting one’s future,” Mr. Ungab said. Truant students are defined as those who, at minimum, miss 30 minutes of class without reason for five times within a school year. — Carmelito Q. Francisco