Skipping Class (1983)

'Steve' to his mates, 'Stefan' to his parents, Steve Popovski is sixteen and wants to leave school. His father Vasel came to Australia to find a better life for his children. Still remembering the harshness of the old country, the wars, the poverty, the lack of work, but determined to keep the traditions alive, Vasel sees completing secondary school as the key to 'a good job' and an assured future for his eldest son. His teacher Andrew knows that Steve won't pass but still believes school has a lot to offer the boy. But Andrew has forty other students who need as much attention as Steve, and he is growing tired of doing battle with a system that seems to thwart the best of intentions. As the contradictory pressures of well-meaning students mount, Steve starts skipping class, setting in motion a train of events that bring his situation to a head.