Mandatory call for unexplained nursery absences bill passed again

Parliament for the second time passed a set of bills which will make it mandatory for nursery schools to call children’s parents or guardians in the event that they are absent from school without prior notice.

The bills had initially been passed last month, but were returned to parliament by President Nikos Christodoulides, who had said that some of the provisions of the bills were “competences of the executive branch” and not of parliament.

He had added that some provisions were “potentially unenforceable”, with the original bill outlining the exact steps nursery school staff, and subsequently the police, must take in the event of an unexplained absence from nursery school.

The House education committee had ratified the changes on Monday, saying that the bill had been amended to maintain the obligation to contact parents and guardians, but to “leave the manner of implementation to the executive branch”.

The aim, the committee, resolved, is to “create a framework which will ensure children’s safety without interfering with constitutionally guaranteed responsibilities”.

The bill itself was borne out of tragedy, with parliament taking the initiative to create it after a nine-month-old infant was found in its mother’s car in March.

It is believed that the mother went to work believing she had dropped her child at nursery school but had in fact left it in the car all day.

It was only when she arrived at the nursery school later in the day that she realised the child had been in the car all day, and that it was unconscious.

The child was taken to hospital, but doctors were unable to resuscitate it.