School attendance and non-attendance : comparing younger and older pupils

Abstract

The study consists in identifying the main reasons of non-attendance amongst students. Reasons are attributed to the self, school, family and society. Data was gathered from observation sessions and ethnographic interviews in two case study schools, a primary and an area secondary school. Five students were chosen from each year group from Year 4 to Year 6 and from Form I to Form III ranging from regular attenders to habitual absentees from different streamed classes. The data gathered in the primary school was compared with the data collected in the area secondary school. The study showed that while in the primary schools the main reason for non attendance is attributed to illness, in the area secondary schools other factors such as the school environment and teachers were influential factors for non-attendance. Interviews with parents were also carried out underlining the worries and thoughts of the parents about the problem of non-attendance. It is recommended that since students spend long hours within the school premises, schools should be places in which they feel safe and secure enough to interact and develop positive experiences with others. Moreover, the need for a more supporting school environment may motivate the students to attend school. Also, it is suggested that learning experiences should be specifically designed to meet both educational and vocational needs, so that students could be motivated to learn by applying the educational content to the place of work. Finally, it is recommended that teachers should do their best not only to train students for subject knowledge and expertise but also to include interpersonal and intrapersonal skills.