Absenteeism is a phenomenon that affects academic achievement and causes a gap between students

October 16
The phenomenon of students’ absence from school for unjustified reasons has become one of the most important challenges facing school administrations, which are making an effort to confront this phenomenon, which was addressed by the Student Conduct Regulations and included severe penalties, due to its negative effects on the conduct of classes, in addition to its effect on achievement. Academic studies for students, as repeated absences either push teachers to re-explain the lessons again, which wastes time for the rest of the colleagues and constitutes additional effort for the teachers, or teachers ignore the re-explanation, which causes a gap between the students.

In the following investigation, Al-Khaleej discusses the causes of this phenomenon and how to overcome it, especially since school officials hold parents responsible for children’s absenteeism.

A number of school principals confirmed that absence has a negative and profound impact on the student’s academic level. Anas Adel Al-Khanoos, director of a private school in Abu Dhabi, said that the parents are primarily responsible for the student’s commitment and attendance, and then comes the school’s role in raising awareness and encouragement and making the school an attractive environment for the student that he desires. In coming to it to play its role as an educational and educational institution.

He added that the school publishes its policies through its social networking sites and through the Social Service Department for group and individual guidance from the first day of school. Secondary stages are considered the most absent, and this happens most often at the end of the week, especially on Friday, and before and after official holidays due to their association with traveling with parents. Their affairs.

He believes it is necessary to apply attendance and absence instructions according to the private school policy manual. The school disseminates these instructions to all students and through supervision, department supervisors, and social service. The school keeps records of attendance and absence. In the event of a student’s absence, contact is made with the guardian, and the attendance and absence system is applied to Students; So that a distinction is made between excused or unexcused absence, and the student is responsible for completing school assignments during his absence, as this is the student’s responsibility.

Al-Khanous added that the school has the right to expel a student if he is absent for more than ten consecutive days or fifteen separate days during the school year unless he provides an acceptable excuse. Punishment such as deducting behavior grades or expulsion is not used except in rare cases, and the largest percentage of Students are committed to school attendance, and absence is often with an acceptable medical excuse, and collective student absence rarely occurs.

Huge damage

Mohammed Nazif, director of a private school in Abu Dhabi, said: The issue of students’ absence and tardiness from school is one of the issues that requires our attention and the attention of parents. Absences and tardiness have a significant impact on students’ achievement and academic development, and increase the distance between their academic level and curriculum expectations, as well as the performance of peers.

He explained that, given the great harm associated with a student’s absence, the Student Conduct Regulations addressed this issue and considered absence a behavior that requires severe procedures and penalties, which may sometimes lead to canceling the student’s registration, and here we do not mean absence with an acceptable excuse or sickness absence.

He added that it is noted that the absence of kindergarten and secondary school students is greater than others, so schools are keen to increase awareness procedures with students and through monthly updates sent to parents, in addition to applying the code of conduct and discipline fairly and motivatingly.

He said: We believe in the importance of this issue and are keen to work hard to enhance communication and understanding with parents and students to ensure achieving the best educational experience that depends primarily on the student and parent’s conviction of the importance of school time and days.

Friday

Fatima Al-Sarayrah, a psychologist at Al Falahiya School in Abu Dhabi, said that after the official working hours were changed and Fridays were made a part-time system, the phenomenon of absence of high school students was observed, especially on Fridays, and it may have several reasons, the most important of which is that Friday is designated for vacation despite the small number of students. Working hours, so most schools make Friday dedicated to curricular and extracurricular activities and events, especially at the beginning of each semester. Cases of absence are studied and outstanding students are honored for their attendance to encourage the rest of the students not to be absent.

She explained that the code of conduct is applied in schools and emphasis is placed on absence. Cases of absence are counted on a daily basis by social workers, and it is important to communicate with parents to find out the reasons for absence and take into account cases of medical reasons. For the role of child protection in cases of intermittent absence, it is important to explain the code of conduct to students periodically and take into account the age stages. In the first stage of It is possible to use model videos of the code of conduct, hold school workshops for parents, and distribute booklets to students in the second and third cycles.

Advice and guidance

Ahmed Hassan, a social worker at a school in Abu Dhabi, pointed out that there are meetings with parents and informing them of the code of conduct issued by the Ministry of Education and the School Education Corporation. Text messages are also sent to parents and students in this regard, so that they avoid the punishment of repeated absence, and they are warned about the grades. Behavior of students who are frequently absent and ensuring early attendance at school by following up with the guardian and the school.

He added that there are meetings with students for advice, guidance, and direction through classroom interviews, school radio, or individual interviews, noting that most absences are with acceptable medical excuses.

Re-explanation

Hadeel Sami Hajjah, an Arabic language teacher at one of the private schools in Abu Dhabi, said: A student may be exposed to various situations that require his absence from school, as this is a normal thing and may happen to any student, but the responsibility here falls on the student himself, as there are students who miss an entire school day and attend school. On the second day, it is as if they were not absent and did not miss anything. This problem is repeated for some students, and there is a group of students who, in the event of absence, are keen to ask about