problem in public schools.

Advertisements in the most recent Official Gazette list vacancies for an "attendance officer/coordinator'' and seven "attendance officers''.

Attendance officers will be charged with ensuring the attendance of children at their respective Government schools.

The officers will have the power to serve attendance orders on parents and guardians whose children do not show up for classes. They will work closely with school principals, parents and any other agency for specific students.

Monitoring areas frequented by students during school hours will also be a function of the officers and they will be expected to prepare statistical reports on student attendance.

Keeping a check on the seven attendance officers, the attendance officer coordinator will also liaise with the Chief Education Officer, monitor the computerised attendance system for all schools and prepare system-wide reports on students who are not in regular attendance.

The coordinator post comes with an annual salary of $42,854 to $45,422, while the attendance officers salaries will be $37,147 to $39,561.

Installation of the officers could well mean that the Education Minister will not extend an offer to pay Bermuda College tuition for senior school students next year.

The scholarships, promised by the previous Government, were instituted in a bid to curb absenteeism.