Absenteeism

Absenteeism is a habitual pattern of absence from a duty or obligation. Traditionally,

absenteeism has been viewed as an indicator of poor individual performance, as

well as a breach of an implicit contract between employee and employer; it was

seen as a management problem, and framed in economic or quasi-economic terms.

More recent scholarship seeks to understand absenteeism as an indicator of

psychological, medical, or social adjustment to work. Hanebuth, Dirk

(2008),teachers play a crucial role in students attendance that is why it is crucial

to the success of any school to employ dedicated teachers who are

physically present to administer quality education to each student.

Excessive absenteeism by the teaching staff can drastically hinder the

learning environment and academic achievement of students when

instructors are not routinely present to teach them. When teachers are

absent, schools must rely on substitute teachers to provide instruction for

the students. (Walters, 2008)Excessive student absenteeism can lead to

an increasing disinterest in school and academics in general, which can

lead to long term consequences for these students, such as lower average

incomes, higher incidences of unemployment, and a higher likelihood of

incarceration. Schoeneberger (2012), several studies have deemed attendance as

important enough to be evaluated as an academic outcome (King, 2000; Lehr,

Sinclair, & Christenson, 2004; Phillips, 1997; Sheldon, 2007) ,attendance is

nonetheless credited as being an important component of school success. Students

with better attendance records are cited as having stronger test performance

(Balfanz & Byrnes, 2006; Lamdin, 1996; Nichols, 2003)

 Factors that lead to Absenteeism

Absenteeism in school is the habit of staying away from school without providing a

genuine or any reason for not attending classes. Absenteeism is a truant behavior

that negatively affects the performance among students. (Keter, 2013)

Factors that cause Absenteeism

Absenteeism is caused by many factors as such as phobic adolescence, lack

of interest, teacher approach, pampering by the family, private couching, diseases,

school infrastructure facilities, entertainment (Keter, 2013).

Phobic Adolescence

There is a lot of fear for a teenager due to their growth as a result of

physical changes on the body like growth of pimples, turbulent emotions,

etc., scaring the teens away from school.

Lack of Interest

Students could be lacking interest in the school subjects, which could

be as a result of content that is difficult for them to grasp hence pushing

them away from school.

Teacher approach
 The approach used by teachers may not be understood by the student

and this could lead them to lose interest in school. Punitive attendance policy

plays a big role in absenteeism too.

Pampering by the family

Students who receive excessive pocket money from their families are

most likely to absent themselves from school since they need time to spend

all the money on anything they want.

Private Couching

Flexible private couching encouraged by some parents could be a

cause that drives a number of students away from the conventional school

timetable.

Diseases

Diseases such as asthma which requires around the clock attention

and care as well as an environment that is warm and clean could make the

students remain at home.

School Infrastructural Facilities

 Lack of libraries, sports facilities is a hindrance to attendance of school

among students.

Entertainment

Accessibility of entertainment facilities like computer shops, billiard pools, and

cinemas could divert the attention of some students from school

Effects of Absenteeism

Previous research has highlighted a number of effects which result from pupils

absence from school. (Learmonth, 1995) link truancy with the wider issue of pupil

disaffection. (Kinder, Harland, Wilkin and Wakefield 1995) note that many teachers

saw truancy, disruption and exclusion as closely interrelated. Teachers believed that

both truanting and disruptive pupils chose flight or fight as parallel responses to

schools from which they felt alienated. Others ( OFSTED, 2001b) argue that truancy

impacts on pupil attainment and suggest that attempts to improve attendance and

behavior should be linked to efforts to improve pupils attitudes to learning and

attainment. A possible association between truancy and crime has also been noted

(DfES, 1999; DfEE and Home Office, 2001), although the evidence of a connection is

stronger for excluded pupils (DfES, 2002). . To add to the information according to

the Local Education Authorities, absenteeism can lead to Academic

underachievement most teachers thought that the major effect of absence from

school was upon pupils academic underachievement. At primary school level

teachers stressed two main reasons for this: first, absence broke the continuity of
learning, and second, the curriculum was so full and tightly structured that absence

invariably meant a child would miss something important Year 6 teachers seem to

have been especially aware of this: one in LEA 4 commented that Year 6 was

particularly intensive as it led up to Key Stage 2 tests. If they miss the revision work

or foundation material, even for a short period, she said, there will be gaps in their

knowledge that will cause them problems and affect their learning later in the year.

Although all absence was damaging, teachers were unsure. Difficulty making friends

Teachers thought that pupils who were often absent had trouble making and

keeping friends. Other primary school children sensed that the habitual truant

displayed a funny attitude to them, showing them less respect and being generally

scornful. If friends were made, they were quickly lost because the friends disliked

being left alone. The poor attenders friendship groups shrank and eventually

closed, so that the non-attenders became isolated. Loss of confidence At secondary

school level, staff in four authorities thought that poor attenders lost their

confidence, showed behavioral problems including attention seeking through

disruptive behavior, and personality changes. Premature sexual activity, the danger

of non-attenders becoming prematurely sexually active was only raised at

secondary school level. Finally, Coles et al (2002) identify truanting from school

before the age of 16 as a risk factor for not being in education, employment or

training at age 1618. The purpose of this chapter is twofold: we build upon

previously published research; and explore the effects of non-attendance on

younger truants, other pupils and their teachers. It draws on evidence from LEA

informants, teachers and pupils. Absences create a dead, tiresome, unpleasant

classroom environment that makes students who come to class uncomfortable and

the lecturer irritable (Marburger 2001). Absenteeism disturbs the dynamic teaching-
learning environment and adversely affects the overall well-being of classes (Segal

2008). In quality terms, absenteeism is a waste of educational resources, time and

human potential. Student absenteeism also causes rework and wasted time for

lecturers (Lalek 1995; Rumberger 1995). Lecturers who spend class time re-

teaching lessons take instructional time away from students who attend class

regularly, and the extra time spent going over absentee homework and class

assignments takes time away from lecturer planning periods and time needed to

provide individual assistance (Weller 1996). When students are absent from class,

they miss valuable information resulting from peer-lecturer interaction and the

benefits of the specific examples lecturers use to clarify difficult concepts. This

valuable part of the learning experience cannot be replicated when lecturers re-

teach.

Ways to prevent Absenteeism

Students who are chronically absent are more likely than other students to drop out

of school. Many schools have goals to reduce student truancy and to help

chronically absent students attend school regularly. Few studies, however, have

focused on whether or how family and community involvement help reduce rates of

chronic absenteeism. In this longitudinal study, data were collected from 39 schools

on rates of chronic absenteeism and on specific family and community involvement

activities that were implemented to reduce this serious problem for student

learning. Results indicate that school, family, and community partnership practices

can significantly decrease chronic absenteeism, even after school level and prior

rates of absenteeism are taken into account. In particular, communicating with

families about attendance, celebrating good attendance with students and families,

and connecting chronically absent students with community mentors measurably

reduced students chronic absenteeism from one year to the next. Also, schools that

conducted a greater total number of attendance-focused activities were more likely

to decrease the percentage of students who missed twenty or more days of school

each year.Sheldon, Steven B; Epstein, Joyce L. School Community Journal;

Lincoln 14.2 (Fall 2004): 39-56.

A substantial percentage of school absenteeism among children is related to

transmissible infection. Rates of transmission can be reduced by hand washing with

soap and water, but such washing occurs infrequently. This study tested whether an

alcohol-free instant hand sanitizer (CleanHands) could reduce illness absenteeism

in school-age children. Methods: A 10-week, openlabel, crossover study was

performed on 420 elementary school-age children (ages 512). Students were given

a brief orientation immediately prior to the start of the study on the relationship of

germs, illness, and hand washing. Each student in the treatment group then

received the test product in individual bottles, with instructions to apply one to two

sprays to the hands after coming into the classroom, before eating, and after using

the restroom, in addition to their normal hand washing with soap and water. The

control group was instructed to continue hand washing as normal with non-

medicated soap. After 4 weeks of treatment and a 2-week wash-out period, the

control and experimental groups were reversed. Data gathered on absenteeism

were classified as gastrointestinal or respiratory related and normalized for

nonillness-related absenteeism and school holidays. Results: Compared to the hand

washing-only control group, students using CleanHands were found to have 41.9%

fewer illness-related absence days, representing a 28.9% and a 49.7% drop in

gastrointestinal- and respiratory-related illnesses, respectively. Likewise, absence

incidence decreased by 31.7%, consisting of a 44.2% and 50.2% decrease in

incidence of gastrointestinal- and respiratory-related illnesses, respectively. No

adverse events were reported during the study. Conclusions: Daily use of the instant

hand sanitizer was associated with significantly lower rates of illness-related

absenteeism. (Fam Med 2000;32(9):633-8.)

Reduction of Absenteeism

Students who are chronically absent are more likely than other students to

drop out of school. Many schools have goals to reduce student truancy and to help

chronically absent students attend school regularly. In particular, communicating

with families about attendance, celebrating good attendance with students and

families, and connecting chronically absent students with community mentors

measurably reduced students chronic absenteeism from one year to the next. Also,

schools that conducted a greater total number of attendance-focused activities

were more likely to decrease the percentage of students who missed twenty or

more days of school each year (Sheldon & Epstein, 2004).

Emphasis should be given to oral health and overall body wellness. Teach

them how to avoid communicable diseases. Give them information on how to

properly wash their hands, which is the main source of germs and bacteria among

children. Let them develop proper eating habits. Since most of the children in the

school come from poor families, point out to them the cheap but healthy foods. Ask

them to pass on this information to their parents. Motivate them so they will be

looking forward to attending their classes regularly. For those who wake up late,

encourage them to get an alarm clock. Do not scold the pupils who come late. Give
them a time-table to change their sleeping habits and to study before bed instead

of watching TV. (Murcia, 2015).

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