The five dollar a day incentive scheme for students to stay at school is already having a profound effect on truancy rates according to teachers and school officials.
The Waqa Government has implemented a ground breaking trust fund for the island’s school students who will receive five dollars per day for every day they attend school, ranging from pre-schoolers to grade 12.
Nauru’s Minister for Education Charmaine Scotty says the Nauru Education Assistance Trust Scheme (NEATS) – available to Nauruan and refugee students - is already showing its worth with a sizeable reduction in truancy since the initiative was rubber stamped by Parliament earlier this month.
“Every day the children come to school they’re investing in their future with the allowance they receive, because it’s not given to them on a daily basis but put into a trust fund which they can access when they leave school.”
Minister Scotty says responsible spending will be monitored with the saved money being used for beneficial purposes, such as starting a business or buying a home.
“So far, the scheme is working brilliantly with kids wanting to attend school and knowing there is a real benefit to staying at school and receiving a vital education.”
Principal Richard Lewis from Nauru Secondary School (NSS) is confident the scheme will be a big winner, saying the government and Minister Scotty must be commended for their proactive stance in curbing the scourge of truancy.
“Kids at NSS are very excited by this and the big benefit really is the education they will receive by staying at school. The money at the end is a nice bonus.”