Students working illegally during lockdown
Some businesses are illegally employing high school students during school hours, principals across the top of the South Island say.
Principal of Waimea College Scott Haines said about 20 of the school’s students were working for businesses like supermarkets during school hours, since the Easter holidays officially ended two weeks ago.
Teachers at the school of 1650 students in Richmond, near Nelson, discovered this when they had been unable to arrange video chats in school time, Haines said.
‘‘They’re hearing the student’s not available at that designated time because they’ve got work commitments.
‘‘On a daily basis, it seems that a growing number of students are working in a range of different settings, supermarkets, petrol stations, orchards, you name it, during school hours.
‘‘Some of them in fact, it’s been reported, are working full time, so 30, 40 hours a week in addition to their expectations around schooling.’’
Haines said he understood it was illegal for businesses to employ students between 9am and 3pm if they were enrolled in a New Zealand school. He had contacted several local businesses about his concerns, but would not name them.
One told him they were employing students because they had difficulty finding staff, with a number of their usual staff over 65 or immune compromised. ‘‘These are very difficult circumstances for all of us, and I understand the tension for local businesses.
‘‘But at the end of the day, the expectations from the NCEA and the students’ learning hasn’t changed.’’
President of the Top of the South Secondary Principals Association John Maguire said most secondary schools in Nelson, Tasman and Marlborough were ‘‘experiencing this in their schools to some degree’’.
Many high school students were essential workers in various industries during the school holiday period, Maguire, principal of Garin College in Richmond said.
‘‘We are concerned that the necessary pattern of employment developed while in alert level four ... may now place students in the situation of needing to, or being required by employers to continue their work during school hours.
‘‘As we transition down the alert levels, we need and expect all our students to maintain full attendance at school to enable learning and achievement to be successful.’’
The Ministry of Education said it was unlawful for students under 16 to work during school hours, under Section 30 of the Education Act.
Ministry deputy secretary Sector Enablement and Support, Katrina Casey, said the primary responsibility for making sure children went to school sat with parents.
But employers should not exploit the ‘‘unusual circumstances’’ we were in, by employing school students during school hours.
‘‘Attending school from the age of 6 until the age of 16 is not just the law; it’s also the key to setting our young people up for life.
‘‘If school leaders are aware of any students who are not learning as legally required, our advice would be that they contact those families to discuss getting those students reengaged.
‘‘Schools are the main connection and source of learning and teachers will be maintaining as much contact as possible, and will be able to offer guidance to families on what they can reasonably do to continue learning at home.’’
‘‘Attending school from the age of 6 until the age of 16 is not just the law; it’s also the key to setting our young people up for life.’’ Katrina Casey
Ministry of Education deputy secretary Sector Enablement and Support