Schools in Kumamoto have purchased two mechanical assistants to help children regain confidence in dealing with teachers and classmates

A city in Japan is tackling a rise in truancy with the help of a robot assistant that officials hope will encourage absentee children to attend classes remotely and eventually coax them back to school.

Two robots equipped with microphones, speakers and cameras are expected to appear in classrooms in November in Kumamoto, south-west Japan, according to the Mainichi Shimbun newspaper.