Grave concerns

low. We have had more than 4000 referrals [of chronically absent students] since the start of the year,’’ he said.

A total of 8403 students were not enrolled in schools as of July. Of those, 912 had been unenrolled for more than a year, according to government data.

If students are absent for a month with no explanation, they are removed from the school roll and referred to the Ministry of Education’s attendance service.

The ministry then tries to track down those children and make a re-enrolment plan.

Crompton said the number might be low because chronically absent kids often enrolled back in schools with no intention to attend.

‘‘You’ve got families who have failed education, whose kids don’t do well in mainstream school and don’t want to be there. They opt for correspondence school, Te Kura,’’ he said.

‘‘Then [the students] get nonenrolled from Te Kura because