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Parents to face higher fines for truancy

£100 penalty for missed school days

Parents who repeatedly fail to send their children to school will be hit by higher fines from now on.

Changes to the law, approved by Tynwald earlier, will see the penalty for persistent truancy double from £50 to £100.

It will apply to cases where a pupil's attendance falls below 80%.

Education Minister Graham Cregeen said the measures, approved by Tynwald yesterday, were intended to reflect 'the seriousness of not attending school'.

But he insists there's no intention of punishing families who take pre-approved term time holidays.

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