The city authorities of Bydgoszcz, north-central Poland, have fined several dozen parents whose children have been habitually skipping classes.

Marian Sajna, head of the city education department, points out that schooling  is compulsory in Poland until 18 years of age.

City authorities, realizing that there have been a marked number of truants, decided to clamp down on regular class-skippers, whose record shows more absences than attendances at school.

First, a mobilization process – to encourage students to attend school – is launched and, when it fails, city authorities resort to fines, which can be up to 10,000 zlotys (almost 2,500 euro). The first group of parents of the worst offenders have been ordered to pay fines in the range of several hundred zlotys. (kk/mmj)