numbers Missing school They were shot at United kingdom After the epidemic. Some numbers are more Clearly on the verge of the weekend And that British government This is due to greater work flexibility for parents Work electronically. “Data indicates that there are unauthorized absences during vacations they have 25% increase And that on Fridays there are regularly 50,000 more absences than on Mondays, which may be related to the fact that Many parents work from home“The Minister of Education said Gillian KeeganTo The Times newspaper.
Keegan warned that schools face 'Great difficulties' To prevent parents from taking their children on vacation during the school calendar or extending weekends due to their ability to work remotely. According to government data, Missing school In England it is a 20% higher on Fridays compared to the rest of the weekWhile the number of students who are absent from at least 10% of classes 1.7 million – One in five – which is double what it was before the pandemic. Reducing these numbers has become a priority for the executive authority, although it has not achieved significant progress so far.
Inadequate measures
In May 2022, the government published a guide to non-compulsory implementation, recommending that education centers develop and maintain a culture that promotes the benefits of attendance, prepare complete records and monitor information to identify patterns and trends in education. Absence of students. Inadequate measures to end the problem: Although the absenteeism rate was slightly lower in 2023 than in the previous year, it was still well above pre-pandemic levels (7.4% compared to 4.7% in 2019).
“We want to be very clear: It is unacceptable “Make a deliberate decision to take your children out of school,” the minister said, noting that children who suffer from colds and mild anxiety should continue to go to school. The government recognizes that the pandemic has wreaked havoc on students' mental health and has urged schools to take action Providing assistance to parents Through help centers and mentors to identify the source of the problem, but he warns that if this approach does not work, families could be fined. Up to 80 pounds per day (92 euros) for the unjustified absence of their children.
School calendar
Some recent studies suggest that the solution to the high problem of absenteeism is to distribute vacations throughout the school year. Something that could be useful for Reduce levels pressure And students are concerned, with parents being given greater flexibility to take vacations outside the peak season.
Some educational centers have already applied it and achieved satisfactory results. the Unity Schools Association The Unity Schools Partnership – which includes about thirty primary and secondary schools in England – indicates that student absence exists. Reduced 25% Since fall break has been extended by a week, summer break has been shortened. It's something other centers are also considering to reduce truancy numbers, and has already been recommended by a study by the Nuffield Foundation, a non-profit education organisation, which suggests that a more equitable distribution of school holidays “would facilitate planning and help relieve fatigue and stress” for students and teachers. .
