The Government spent $1 million on a campaign aimed at boosting school attendance, which it now says was not actually designed to increase attendance rates.  

The Every School Day is a Big Day campaign was launched by Education Minister Jan Tinetti in August last year, aimed at “supporting” school attendance. 

“This Government has laser sharp vision on the issue of improving attendance at school and that is why we are taking action,” she said in a press release at the time.  

“The campaign supports practical measures to encourage attendance already underway by schools around the country.” 

But despite this, documents released under the Official Information Act show the campaign was “not expected to have a direct, quantifiable impact on attendance rates in itself.” 

The Ministry of Education said schools across the country already have a range of activities underway around improving attendance. 

“...so it would be difficult to have a quantifiable measure related to the impact of the campaign only. 

“No data has been collected on attendance rates in relation to this campaign.” 

Tinetti ‘s defended the campaign – saying its purpose was to “raise public awareness about the school attendance – that every school day is important”. 

“The purpose of the campaign was to engage with the broader community about the importance of school attendance as the first step.” 

She said Covid had a negative impact on school attendance, and the Ministry of Education needed to promote a “positive message about getting students back to school”. 

National’s Education Minister Erica Stanford said the issue speaks to a Government which is more focused on making announcements, than achieving tangible outcomes.  

“This clearly points to a Minister who was massively under pressure with issues of non-attendance and needed some kind of campaign to show she was doing something.” 

But she says quietly in the background, the campaign itself was never designed to improve school attendance at all. 

“She’s been found out for wasting public money.” 

According to the documents, the $1 million budget was to: “Help parents, whanau, ākonga [students] and communities understand the importance of regular attendance and engagement at school”. 

The document goes on to say the campaign would enable one consistent story to be repeatedly heard, as well as promoting an “enhance awareness of regular attendance as an issue at a regional and local levels”. 

Asked for a breakdown of how the $1 million for the Every School Day is a Big Day campaign, a spokesperson for the Minister Tinetti said that would be considered as an OIA request – due back in 20 days or more.  

But, replying to written questions from the National Party, Tinetti’s office provided a breakdown of the budget: 

• National Reseach, including baseline surveys, focus groups and two impact assessment reports --$225,100 
• Creative Development and Production – $294,900 
• Media Planning and Buying – $480,000

Tinetti’s office has confirmed all $1 million has been spent. 

Stanford was not impressed.  

“This is entirely in keeping with what we have seen under Jan Tinetti’s reign as Education Minister – trying to clean up the mess [former Education Minister] Chris Hipkins made, especially with attendance.”  

Tinetti said improving school attendance is ongoing and multifaceted.  

“Engaging with the broader community, for example parents, employers, was a necessary part if the solution. As such this campaign is only one of the many tools we are using to address attendance rates.” 

She noted that school attendance is improving. 

The latest data shows in term one this year, 59.5 percent of students were regularly attending school.