Failure to attend school

(1) If a child of compulsory school age who is a registered pupil at a school fails to attend regularly thereat, the Principal of the school shall inform the parent and the School Community Liaison Officer of the irregular attendance. 54 (2) A child of compulsory school age who is a registered pupil at a school shall not be deemed to have failed to attend regularly at a school by reason of his absence from that school, (a) at any time when he was prevented from attending by reason of sickness, bad weather or any other unavoidable cause; (b) on any day exclusively set apart for religious observance by the religious body to which his parent belongs; (c) if the parent proves that the school is not within walking distance of the child’s home and that no suitable transportation arrangements exist or that it is inexpedient for him to become a registered pupil at a school nearer to his home. (3) If the parent of a child of compulsory school age who is a registered pupil at a school fails to take effective measures to ensure the regular attendance of his child he commits an offence under this section. or 61.