The population of “ghost children,” or kids who don’t go to school, has increased since the pandemic and since 2010.
The opposition party, in announcing their plans, notes that since the Conservatives came to power in 2010, absences have increased by 40% to “historic” levels.
An additional name for the phenomenon is “ghost children”.
Since that same date, the number of severe absences—defined as missing more than 50% of school days—has tripled.
One in three of the children taking their GCSEs this year, according to party analysis, have missed almost three months of secondary school since the pandemic.
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Labour claims to want lists of kids who aren’t enrolled in school kept up to date by the council.
The party intends to use Tuesday’s opposition day, when they get to select the subject of the Commons debate, to suggest that the legislation be heard on Wednesday, February 7.
Opposition days are politically charged events that the government can easily win back if it needs to use its majority. However, if the topic of discussion is contentious, as was the case with the fracking vote that led to Liz Truss’s premiership collapsing, things can get sticky.
Labour has emphasized the support that Tory MPs and ministers had previously given to the creation of such lists or registers.
