The Associate Education Minister says the Government, schools, parents and students all have a part to play in attendance.

The Government's instructing schools to have Stepped Attendance Response plans by 2026.

It comes as students around the country ditch school for the School Strike for Climate today.

Associate Minister David Seymour told Mike Hosking schools should mark that as an unjustified absence.

He says for people to keep their living standards and emit less, we need a lot of science, and school's a good place to learn that.

Schools have also been instructed not to take teacher-only days in term time, unless authorised by the Minister.

Seymour told Hosking the Government has a role in introducing more prosecutions and support for schools.

He says the point of the STAR system is it sets out that the schools have a role - and they need to take that seriously.

LISTEN ABOVE