Latest Northern Territory school attendance figures have shown NT-wide average attendance in Government schools for Term 2 was 72.6% – down by 0.5 percentage points compared to the same term last year.
On the back of today’s data release, the NT Government has reaffirmed its commitment to lifting school attendance across the Northern Territory, as students return to classrooms for Term 3 this week.
“Every child deserves the best start in life, and that starts with being in the classroom,” said Education and Training Minister, Jo Hersey.
“In this year of action, certainty and security, we are backing parents, schools and communities to make that happen.”
The Minister said School Attendance Officers were playing an important role in supporting parents to meet their legal responsibility to get their children to school every day.
“At Timber Creek School, where Attendance Officers have been on the ground supporting parents and engaging with students, attendance has jumped from just 36.2% in Term 2 last year to nearly 68% this year,” she said.
“Similarly, Alpurrurulam School in the Barkly region has seen enrolments surge from 33 students in Term 2, 2024 to 77 students this term, another sign that our approach is working.
“As we prepared for Term 3, our Attendance Officers were continuing their outreach, meeting with families to make sure students are ready to return to school.”
In the lead-up to Term 3, School Attendance Officers have been out and about across the Territory, visiting shopping centres, attending community events and working one-on-one with disengaged children to ensure they are ready to head back to the classroom this week.
Minister Hersey said the focus on improving attendance is a central part of the Government’s year of action, certainty and security.
“To build on this momentum, we are expanding the School Attendance Officer program to reach more communities across the Territory,” she said.
The 2025-26 Budget commits $12.9 million to boost school attendance, an increase of $4 million on last year’s funding.
This includes more resources for Attendance Officers, additional school counsellors, and targeted literacy and numeracy programs to get back to basics and keep students engaged in learning.
