The parents of three South Coast children who attended school for just a third of the required time during a school term have been fined $6000.
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The couple, who can’t be named for legal reasons, each faced three counts of parents not compulsorily enrolling their children.
In a case brought by the NSW Department of Education and Training, the court heard the children, ranging in ages from six to 13, attended a combined total of just 15 school days out of the required 47 during one term last year.
The court heard the youngest child attended just two days in term one, a single day in term two, had nine days for term three and just four for term four.
Another child attended just one day of a term two, while his brother didn’t attend at all.
There was a number of unjustified absences, with doctor’s certificates not provided.
The issue of the older children had been raised in 2014, with meetings held with the Home School Liaison Program (HSLP), while compulsory school orders were also made.
The court heard on one occasion when attending the home, the woman allegedly told officers the children were too sick to attend school, however they were spotted in the backyard, jumping fences into neighbouring properties.
In Nowra Local Court on Friday, Magistrate Gabriel Fleming fined the man and woman $3000 each.
