Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for Social and Family Development in each year since the Enhanced Step-Up Programme (ESU) was introduced to provide support to students with chronic absenteeism to remain in school (a) how many cases have been referred by schools for the ESU; and (b) of these referrals, how many cases have not proceeded with the ESU because parental consent has not been obtained.
Answer
Over the past five years from 2018 to 2022, schools referred about 2,200 cases to the Enhanced STEP-UP programme, or an average of 450 cases per year.
2. Parental consent is required before any case is referred to the ESU programme.