In some large American city schools, as many as 20-40% of the students are absent each day. There are two major reasons for such absences: one is sickness, and the other is truancy. (1)_____________________. Since school officials can’t do much about the illness, they are concentrating on reducing the number of truancy. (2)____________________________.
The pupils there with good attendance have been given free hamburgers, toys and T-shirts. Classes are told if they show improved rates of attendance, they can win additional gifts. At the same time, (3)_______________________________. When those teachers are successful, they are also rewarded. “we’ve been punishing truancy for years, but that hasn’t brought them back to school,” One school principal said.